We Have Each Other, and That's Enough Rewritten
by Iridescent Bellisle Cullen
Summary: After Bella catches Edward cheating on her with Tanya, she is heartbroken. Carlisle comes to comfort her, and they immediately fall in love. Together, they fight every obstacle that comes their way. Rated M for language, lemons, rape, and character death. I do NOT own Twilight or anything else of Stephenie Meyer's.
1. A Source of Comfort

(A/N: Pre-Breaking Dawn. Esme doesn't exist in this story. Originally the stories Make Me Feel Better and We Have Each Other, and That's Enough. Enjoy!)

I was driving along the road to the Cullen mansion, dodging around the slower cars in my path.

The Cullens were having a party to celebrate my engagement to Edward. They had invited the Denali clan from Alaska to attend also, and I didn't want to be late.

I rolled my eyes, wondering why Alice planned this. She knew I hated parties, especially after what happened on my birthday last September. But she insisted, and I had no choice but to do what she wanted. She practically dazzled me in agreeing to have the party thrown! Stupid, pixie vampire...

Once I reached the Cullen's driveway between a gap in the trees, I turned onto it. Within fifteen minutes, I was in front of the house.

I stepped out of my Chevrolet and straighten out the dark-green silk dress that I was wearing. I ambled onto the porch and Alice threw open the door.

"Hi Bella!" she exclaimed.

"Hey, Alice," I smiled.

She gave me a quick hug. "Come inside. Everyone's ready."

I walked passed her into the mansion. Alice shut the door and led me to the parlor.

All of the Cullens and who I knew to be Denali clan were there waiting for us.

They-the Denalis-were beautiful. A brunette couple was standing near the stairs next to Carlisle. Three other woman, two blondes and one strawberry blonde, stood by them. Edward was standing next to his piano. Emmett, Rosalie, and Jasper were closer to us.

Alice pulled me over to the brunette couple. "Bella, this is Eleazar and Carmen," she proclaimed.

Eleazar beamed and shook my hand. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Bella," he said in a lightly accented voice."I must say, you have quite a strong mental shield, my dear."

Everyone gazed at him in surprise.

I frowned in confusion. "Mental shield? How do you know if I have one?"

Alice spoke up. "Eleazar has the gift of seeing the special abilities of a vampire or human, although he rarely sees them in humans. This explains why Edward and Aro can't read your mind, and why Jane's power didn't work on you."

I nodded in understanding before turning to his mate, Carmen, who embraced me and kissed both of my cheeks. "Hello, Bella. I've heard so many nice things about you." She also had an accent.

Next, one of the blondes stepped up to me. "I'm Katrina, but please, call me Kate."

The other one reached out and shook my hand. "Hi. I'm Irina."

The strawberry blonde bobbed her head. "And I'm Tanya."

I nodded to all of them in return. Then I greeted Edward and the rest of the Cullens.

"Well...let's get the party started!" Alice announced.

Someone turned on the radio and the festivities began. Emmett and Jasper played a game on the Wii while Carlisle patiently waited his turn. Tanya, Irina, and Kate chatted with Alice and Rosalie.

I decided to speak to Carmen and Eleazar. "Where are you guys from?" I asked as Edward wrapped an arm around my waist.

"We are both from Spain," Carmen responded.

"Wow. What's the area like where you're from?"

"Oh, it is very magnificent! Lots of beautiful countryside. Maybe Edward will take you someday."

Grinning, I turned to him. "Perhaps."

After we talked a little more, Edward and I sat down on the sofa. "How are you, Bella?" he queried.

I shrugged. "I'm okay, I guess. Charlie and I almost had a fight; he's still not very happy with me being engaged to you."

"Well, at least he didn't try to separate us once we told him," Edward remarked. He gave me a soft kiss on the lips. "Don't worry about that now. Let's just enjoy the party."

And I did. I ate some food while I watched Carmen, Eleazar, Alice, and Jasper dance together. Then Edward and I had our own dance. I got to know Tanya, Kate, and Irina some more and had a nice talk with Carlisle. After a while, there was a toast.

"To Bella and Edward," Carlisle declared, holding up a glass. "I wish great happiness for the both of you for all eternity."

"To Bella and Edward!" everyone else claimed.

I was in the middle of playing a game with Emmett when I noticed that Edward was missing. When my turn was over, I went to Alice. "Hey, have you seen Edward?" I inquired.

Alice frowned a little. "No. He's around here somewhere though. You should go look for him," she added.

I left the parlor and went upstairs. He wasn't in the kitchen. He wasn't in either of the family rooms either. I figured that he was probably getting something from his room.

I was nearing my destination when I heard the sound of breaking glass. I bolted over to his door and pushed it open.

And what I saw made my heart stop.

Edward was in there...with Tanya...

_Fucking_.

"Oh God, Edward, _yes_!" Tanya was moaning. "Harder...harder..."

"You like that, baby? Does that feel good?" Edward panted, thrusting into her roughly.

"Ughhhh, yes."

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?" I bellowed.

Edward and Tanya pivoted. When they saw that it was me, they jumped off the sofa.

"Bella," Edward began. "I can explain..."

I backed away. "No, Edward, no..."

"Bella, please listen to me..."

"No! You lied to me! Fuck you! This is over! Do you hear me? It's OVER!"

I took my engagement ring off my finger, threw it at him, and left the room. I heard him call me again, but I ignored him.

I stormed out of the house. Once I was on the porch, I sank down onto the top steps.

I can't believe he did this to me. I gave him all of my love, and he stabbed me in the back. He cheated on me with that...that...that _whore_! I put my head in my arms and started to weep.

The door opened and closed. "Bella?" a soft voice said.

I turned to see Carlisle behind me. I wiped away my tears. "Hey," I mumbled.

Carlisle perched on the spot next to me. "What's wrong? Why are you crying?" he queried. He sounded genuinely concerned.

I sniffed. "I...I caught Edward sleeping with...with Tanya."

"_What?_" Carlisle demanded in anger and disbelief.

"Yeah. I mean, I can understand why he would. Tanya's gorgeous. I don't have anything on her. I'm ugly, awkward and I can barely walk five steps without tripping over my feet. I'm nothing but a stupid, pathetic human," I concluded with a sob.

Carlisle was quiet for a moment. Then he tilted my head so that I was looking him in the eye. "That's not true, Bella. I think that you're a very beautiful, smart young woman. You are not at all pathetic. Edward is crazy for cheating on someone like you. It's disgusts me to think that he did. You deserve better than him."

I found myself blushing. I had no idea that he thought of me that way. It was actually very flattering. "Thanks...I guess."

Carlisle gave a small smile. It was a rather nice one. It made his cheekbones more prominent. Kindness and sincerity shone in his eyes. I never realized how handsome he was.

"What? Is there something on my face?" he asked, snapping me out of my reverie.

"Huh? Oh, um..." I stammered.

"Do you see something you like, Bella?"

"Yes."

That slipped out before I could stop myself. I went to correct myself, but Carlisle placed a finger on my lips. His hand slid across my cheek. "Bella...I have desired you for so long," he breathed.

My mouth fell open in disbelief. "W-What?" I gasped.

"Yes, Bella," Carlisle whispered. "I have. Ever since the first day we met, I had wanted you, and I longed for you to be mine. But Edward had already stolen your heart. I felt that there was no point in pursuing you, so I stepped aside. But now, I don't think that I can hold back any longer. Bella, _I love you_."

And then he kissed me. Man kiss, sweet and deep. Better than Edward had ever kissed me.

Suddenly, he broke away. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. It's wrong. You just broke up with my son."

He tried to stand, but I held onto him. "No, don't go. It's okay. I actually liked it," I stated earnestly, feeling flustered. "But Carlisle, why didn't you tell me all of this sooner?"

"Don't you think that it would have been awkward if I did?" Carlisle inquired skeptically with a laugh.

"Admittedly, yes. But I would have been better off if I didn't form a relationship with Edward," I responded.

Carlisle sighed. "You're right about that."

I laid my hand on his shoulder. "Carlisle...I just want to forget about him. And I need some comfort. Can you make me feel better?"

Carlisle eyed me half dubiously, half willingly. "Are you sure you want me to?"

I nodded. "Yes," I replied. I squeezed his arm. "Please?"

Grinning a little, Carlisle stood and pulled me up gently. When we back into the house and up to his bedroom.

We sat down on the bed, and Carlisle leaned over and kissed me again. I laid my hands on his hard chest. He slipped his tongue into my mouth, making the kiss more heated.

Carlisle hands slipped down my sides to the bottom of my dress. He gave me a questioning look, and I nodded.

He lifted it over my head, leaving me in my underwear. He unclasped my bra and pulled my panties off.

Once I was naked, Carlisle stared at me with an indiscernible expression on his face. I crossed my arms over my chest, but he stopped me. "You're gorgeous," he whispered.

He laid me down and swirled his cool tongue around my nipples. Whenever he bit down on them, I moaned in pleasure. After that, he trailed kisses down to the bottom of stomach.

He circled his tongue around my clit. My head fell back as I let out another moan. Carlisle grinned and inserted two fingers into my pussy. I squirmed and thrashed under him as he fucked me with his fingers.

"So wet," he breathed.

I was close, and he could feel it. He ran his tongue over my clit one last time, and I fell over the edge with a scream.

"Did that feel good, Isabella?" he purred. My name sounded like a smooth caress coming from his lips.

I nodded. "Fuck yes."

Carlisle chuckled and ripped off his clothes. His body was slim, but muscular.

He crawled back over me and positioned his member at my entrance. Damn, it was large! He had to be more than ten inches long and five inches thick! How was it going to fit inside me? "Ready?" he inquired.

"Yes," I replied with some uncertainty, staring at his huge cock.

"Are you sure?"

I nodded again.

He slid inside me with one quick thrust. I gave a small cry as my barrier broke. Carlisle kept still to give me time to adjust, reassuring me that pain would go away shortly.

When it finally did, I indicated that it was okay to move. Carlisle placed a kiss on my forehead and moved in and out me at a slow pace.

Within minutes, I begged him to go faster. He complied, sliding an arm behind my neck. He pulled my leg up to his shoulder to push himself in deeper. Soon, he was pounding my pussy with passion. After a while, we drew closer to our releases.

"Ughhhhhh _fuck_...Carlisle," I moaned.

"Do you like me fucking you hard like this, you little slut?" Carlisle demanded, but not in an unkind way, grunting in pleasure.

His naughty words turned me on even more.

"Answer me!" Carlisle ordered, giving me a quick, hard thrust.

"Yes, Carlisle!"

"Good. Now, cum with me. Now, Isabella!"

"CARLISLE!" I shouted as I flew over the cliff.

"ISABELLA!" Carlisle bellowed. I felt cold venom shoot into me.

He rode out our orgasms and he collasped onto his side. I panted, trying to catch my breath.

Once my respiration was normal, I cuddled into his side. "I don't want to let you go."

Carlisle laughed softly. "You don't have to. I love you, Isabella."

"I love you too, Carlisle. Forever." I added.

"Forever," Carlisle murmured, nestling his forehead on mine.

(A/N: Well, there you have it. **PLEASE REVIEW**. Thank you for reading.)


	2. Giving it a Shot

"I love you too, Carlisle. Forever."

"Forever," Carlisle murmured, nestling his forehead on mine.

_BOOM!_

The door was busted open and Edward stormed in. He took the scene before him in a glance. "Carlisle! What the hell were you thinking?" he demanded. "You fucked my fiancée!"

My mouth dropped in disbelief. Before I knew it, I was standing in front of him, forgetting that I was stark naked. "Excuse me, but I am _not_ your fiancée anymore, remember? I stopped being that when I caught _you_ _fucking_ Tanya not too long ago!" I yelled.

"WHAT!" someone shouted, and the rest of the Cullens were in the room in the blink of an eye. So was the Denali clan, except Tanya.

"WHAT!" Emmett repeated."Are you serious?"

I nodded.

"Edward...what the fuck?" Rosalie growled. "How could you do that to Bella? She loved you, and you decide to cheat on her? I should KILL the both of you for hurting her like this!"

A wave of calm rushed through me. Jasper was trying was trying to settle everyone down.

Carlisle wrapped a blanket around me before stepping up to Edward. "You don't deserve Bella. What you did tonight clearly shows that you didn't give a damn about her."

"Exactly," I added. "And don't think for one minute that you're getting me back. Because you won't...and that's a promise."

Edward glared at me. "You bitch! You're going to just leave me for my _father_?"

I scowled at him. "I was already gone! And at least he knows how to treat a woman! I gave my heart to you and you stomped all over it. Besides that, you never touched me! Not once! You said you loved me, but you would rather fuck some bimbo then give me the time of day. Well, you know what Edward? _Fuck you_! You can keep your crusty whore!" I leaned back and slid my arm around Carlisle's waist. "I love Carlisle. He appreciates me for the person I am. You can just get the hell out of my face."

Edward lunged at Carlisle. "YOU TOOK HER AWAY FROM ME, YOU BASTARD!" he roared.

Carlisle pushed me away before Edward crashed into him. The sound of it was like boulders colliding. I landed on the floor with a thud.

A wild brawl ensued. Edward was attempted to put Carlisle in a half nelson, but Carlisle was stronger. He rolled from under him and sent a bone-cracking punch into Edward's jaw. Edward's head flew back, and that was the last thing I saw before Alice slung me over her shoulders and bolted from the room.

When we were in her bedroom, she set me down on the bed.

"Bella, are you alright?" she queried.

"Yeah," I mumbled. "I'm sorry, Alice."

She embraced me tightly. "Oh, Bella. I'm not angry with you for...being intimate with Carlisle. I'm just sorry that Edward cheated on you. But don't worry about it-this was supposed to happen. It will all work out fine. Trust me. I've seen it," she whispered. Suddenly, she became rigid with a faraway look in her eyes. "Emmett, Jasper, and Eleazar broke up the fight. I better get you home." She held out my dress and underwear. "I managed to save these in time."

We shared a laugh as I put my clothes back on. Then Alice drove me back to my house. That was really nice of her because I wasn't in the mood to drive.

"Hey, Dad," I said when I walked into the living room.

Charlie turned around. "Hey, Bella. How was the party?"

I sighed. "Not good."

"Why, what happened?"

"I found out that Edward was cheating on me with another woman."

Charlie's face turned purple. "That little shit. I knew there was something I didn't like about him. I oughta go out there and give him a piece of my mind..." he muttered, rising from his seat.

I held up my hands. "Dad, no! It's already taken care of. I ended our engagement."

"Good. That should teach him a lesson."

I went upstairs to my room. To my astonishment, Carlisle was sitting at my desk.

"Um...hi," I greeted. "What's up?"

"Nothing. I just wanted to know if you wanted some company?" he inquired.

I snorted. "Won't Edward be mad if he finds out you were here?" I asked skeptically.

Carlisle shrugged. "I suppose he would, if he hadn't left."

I frowned. "He's gone?"

"Yes. After the fight, Edward took off, saying that he was never coming back here again. Hopefully, we won't have to worry about him for a while."

"Oh. Well, I guess you can stay, then."

Carlisle stood up and ambled over to me. "I also think that we let our feelings run away with us tonight. Do you mind if we start from the beginning and take it slow?"

I shook my head. "No, I wouldn't. I would like to get to know you more."

Carlisle nodded and kissed my forehead. "You won't have a worry in the world, _ma Belle_...I'll always treat you right."

I believed him.

XXX

Since school had ended, there wasn't very much to do. I spent most of my time at home, watching television or reading, or just thinking. Thinking about things that I didn't want to think about. Such as finding Edward cheating on me with Tanya. The way he was holding her. The way he was looking at her with the love that he had for me. How I was going to go crazy if I didn't stop thinking about all of that. I tried not to, but it drifted into my mind whenever I wasn't doing anything that required brainpower.

Ugh. I needed a life.

I was in the middle of one of these thoughts when Alice walked into my room without knocking.

"Alright, Bella. Get up," she ordered.

"Why?" I inquired.

"We're going to my house."

I frowned. "What for?"

She gave a superior grin. "Carlisle wants to see you. He has to talk to you about something."

I turned away in embarrassment. No doubt she already knew what was going to happen. I jumped out of my bed and we left the house.

Carlisle was waiting for us on the porch when Alice pulled up. When he saw me, he smiled. "Hello, Bella," he greeted as I strolled up to him. "How are you?"

"Hi Carlisle. I'm fine," I replied, giving him a small hug. I was glad to see him. We haven't spoken since the night he visited me in my room.

He patted my back gently. "How would you like to go for a drive?"

I shrugged. "That's sounds good."

"Okay, then. Let's go."

Once we were on the road, I asked, "Where are we going?"

"To a place where we can talk in private. I assume that Alice has told you that I want to speak to you?"

I nodded. "Yeah, she mentioned it. How are you doing? I forgot to ask."

"Pretty good."

"Have...have you heard from Edward?"

Carlisle said no. "Not since last week. Alice says it's impossible to see his future. He keeps making different plans. Edward's probably trying to throw her off his trail. I don't like it," he remarked, looking worried.

I gazed at my hands. "Oh," I mumbled.

The rest of the ride was silent. I mostly stared out of the window, watching the landscape speed past.

"Here we are," Carlisle announced fifteen minutes later.

I started and glanced at my surroundings. We had stopped at a park somewhere. There was picnic tables and trees and fields. No one was around.

Carlisle opened the door for me.

"Thanks," I said, stepping out of the car.

"You're welcome," Carlisle murmured.

I followed him over to one of the tables and sat down across from him.

Carlisle peered at the cloudy sky. "I hope that the rain holds off until later," he noted.

"Me too. I don't have my umbrella. But then again we do have the car."

"You have a point there."

I drummed my hands on the table. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

Carlisle sighed. "I just wanted to know if you were sure about having a relationship with me."

I raised an eyebrow. "What, are you having doubts?"

"No. I just wanted to know if you were sure. After a while, we'll have to tell Charlie about us."

"I know. I just don't have a clue how he'll take the news. He'll probably think that I'm going out with you just to get back at Edward. I don't want that because it's not true. Besides, how old does he think you are anyway?"

"Not that much older than you. Everyone thinks that I'm twenty-five. Truthfully, I'm twenty-three."

"That's not bad. But yes, I am sure that I do. Are you?"

"Yes, which brings me to a separate, but related subject. Are you going to college in September?"

The question caught me off guard. I had never really thought about it until now. When I was with Edward, the plan was to make it appear that I was going to college in Alaska. However, I was going to be with the Cullens. Edward had decided to change me after what would have been our honeymoon.

"I don't know. Since Edward and I aren't going to get married, I might. I have to think about it. Why?"

Carlisle cleared his throat. "Because I was wondering if you still wanted to live with us," he declared. "After all, you are a Cullen to us now. You'll always be considered as a part of the family. I could even change you myself, if you're still considering to become a vampire."

I grinned a little. "I'd like that, Carlisle. Perhaps, I may. But can I wait until September, if I choose to?" I queried.

"Sure, Bella. That won't be a problem. Now...there's a movie coming out this Friday. You've heard of _Click_, haven't you? With Adam Sandler?"

"Yeah, I wanted to see that. I love Adam Sandler movies."

"Really? So do I. Well, I was going to go to Port Angeles to see it. Would you like to go with me? I'll take you out to dinner before that."

"Sounds like a plan. Who's going pick me up?"

"Alice. The movie is at 6:15, so I we'll leave my house around 3:45?"

"That's great. Carlisle?"

"_Ma Belle_?"

I felt my face growing warm. I would have to get use to him calling me that. "When should I tell Charlie about us being together?" I asked.

Carlisle laid his hand on mine. "Don't worry. You can tell him when you're ready. Come on. Let's get home. We don't want to deprive Alice of the chance to play Bella Barbie to decide what you'll wear on Friday," he smiled..

We shared a laugh as we got in the car. When we arrived at the mansion, Alice all but pulled me out of it.

"My room. Now," she commanded.

I looked back at Carlisle and rolled my eyes. He hid a chuckle behind his hand.

Alice glared at us. "Don't think that I didn't see that!" she interjected in a singsong voice.

(Friday afternoon-3:25)

I waited at my front door for Alice to pick me up. When I heard her beep the horn, I nervously smoothed down the red sundress she agreed that I could wear. If she had her way, I would have probably ended up in a something too revealing for my taste. I grabbed my keys and walked outside.

"You look good, Bella," Alice said while she backed out of the driveway. "Carlisle will definitely think so."

"I hope he does," I whispered.

"Trust me. I know he will," she assured me.

I took her word for it.

Carlisle's eyes glimmered when he greeted me ten minutes later. "You look beautiful," he commented. It seemed like Alice was right after all.

I beamed. "Thanks. So are you," I added, taking in his appearance. He was wearing black t-shirt and jeans that brought out his muscles and his golden, liquid-fire eyes.

"Thank you, Bella. Are you ready to go?"

I nodded and waved good-bye to Alice.

"Bye, Carlisle. See you, Bella. Have fun," she stated with a wink.

I gave her a mock dirty look.

By the way Carlisle drove, it took us less than an hour to get to Port Angeles. He parked in front of a small diner and helped me out of his Mercedes.

Once I had ordered a plate of lasagna and spinach-Carlisle told the waitress that he wasn't hungry-he and I spoke.

"How is Charlie doing?" he inquired.

"He's okay, I guess. He'll be getting off of work pretty soon," I replied. "How was it at the hospital?"

"My co-workers would say it boring. No action. But I'm happy that there wasn't any. I hate to see people hurting."

After the meal, we headed over to the theater. We were about a half an hour early, but it didn't matter. We just sat down in the back and talked some more until the lights dimmed.

_Click_ was a very funny movie. My favorite part was when Adam Sandler's character got fat, then ended up with a weird stomach after his surgery. Carlisle liked the part when he skipped the argument with his wife.

It was almost ten o'clock by the time we arrived back in Forks. Carlisle dropped me off at home. I noticed that Charlie's police car was missing.

"He must be at a friend's house," I remarked. "I had fun tonight. Thank you."

Carlisle smiled at me. "My pleasure, Bella. I did too. How would you like to have lunch at my house next Wednesday? My break is at one o'clock."

I shrugged with a grin. "Sure, why not. Call me."

He nodded. "I will."

Carlisle leaned forward and kissed my cheek. I turned my head so that my lips met his. I had been wanting to kiss him all day. And by the way that he kissed me, I could tell that he had also. A minute later, I got out of the car.

"Bye, Carlisle," I said.

"Good-bye, Isabella," he responded. He blew a kiss before starting the car and driving away.

Thanks for reading and **PLEASE REVIEW**!)


	3. Telling Charlie

(A/N: Disclaimer: I don't own anything of Stephenie Meyer's. Sorry for the really long update.)

The next morning, I woke up to the sound of my cell phone ringing. I thought that it was Carlisle calling to wish me a good morning, but it was Jacob Black, my best friend from La Push.

"Bella!" Jake exclaimed when I answered it.

"Hey, Jake," I greeted. "What's up?"

"Not much. You want to hang out today?" he inquired timidly.

I smiled. I thought that Jacob didn't want to see me anymore when he realized that nothing more than friendship was going to exist between us. He was really upset that I chose Edward over him. Moreover, Jacob couldn't understand why would I chose a vampire over a werewolf, which he just happened to be. Nonetheless, I was glad to hear from him again.

"Sure," I responded cheerfully. "I'll be over there in about an hour. Meet you at the beach?"

"Sure, sure."

"Okay. See you soon, then."

"Bye, Bella."

I got out of bed and went to take a shower and get dressed. I sent a text message to Alice to warn her that I was going to visit Jacob. Whenever I went to La Push, Alice would be unable to see me, so it was best to let her know.

Charlie had already left for work, so after eating a quick breakfast, I drove over to First Beach. Jacob was already there, sitting on a blanket. He turned around when he heard my footsteps.

"Hey, Bella," he grinned, engulfing me in a bear hug.

"Hey, Jake. I can't-breathe," I gasped.

Jacob let me go. "Sorry. How have you been?"

I shrugged. "I've been okay, for the most part. What about you?"

"Pretty good. It's been a little boring since we're not hunting the redhead anymore."

"Yeah," I whispered, recalling Victoria and the battle of the newborn vampires in my mind.

Leaning back onto his elbows, Jacob queried in a toneless voice, "How are things going between you and...him?"

I sighed heavily. I knew that he would ask that question sooner or later. I considered lying to him, but since I was a horrible liar, he would know that something was wrong.

"Well," I began hesitantly. "Edward and I split up. We're not together any longer."

Jacob gazed at me with a half-surprised, half-hopeful gleam in his eyes. "Really. Why not?" he asked.

I looked away. "I caught him cheating on another vampire named Tanya at the engagement party. She's one of Carlisle's friends from Alaska. Well, I guess I should say _former_ friend. Carlisle was pissed when he found out."

Jacob scowled fiercely. "That son-of-a-bitch _cheated_ on you? After everything that he'd done for you, especially your safety? I thought that he loved you!"

I nodded, tears welling up in my eyes. The memory of it still stung a little. "Yes."

"I can't believe this," Jacob hissed in rage. "Seriously, he saved you from the redhead and her mate. He tried to keep you away from me to protect you. I can't believe that he did this to you. _I_ would never cheat on you, if you were with me." He lowered his voice. "Is this why you wanted to see me?"

"No," I replied. "I came over to see you because I missed you. I haven't talked to you in weeks since the battle. I missed you, Jake."

His expression darkened before he smiled his bright, sunny smile. "I missed you too, Bella." I took both of my hands in his. "You know, we can always be more than friends, if you want to. You know how I feel about you, and how you feel about me."

I shook my head slowly. "No, Jacob. I'm afraid that it can't be the way that you want it to be."

Jacob frowned again. "Why not? Don't you love me?"

"Yes, but not in that way...not anymore. You will always be my best friend. I'm sorry, but we can't be together like you want."

Jacob hung his head, looking crestfallen.

I squeezed his hand. "I'm sorry if I had hurt you, Jacob. You know you're one of my favorite people," I pointed out. _Besides Carlisle, Emmett, and Alice,_ I said to myself.

"It's alright, Bella. It's just hard to accept, that's all," he murmured. He glanced at me. "Will you still come to see me often?"

I chortled. "Of course. Why wouldn't I?"

Jacob smiled again. "Good. I don't want to lose you, Bella."

"I don't want to lose you either."

But if Carlisle and I continued to see each other, it could still happen. I didn't say this to him, however. I wasn't ready for him to know just yet.

XXX

In the middle of the day, some time after I had eaten lunch at Jacob's house, I decided to go over to see Alice. Jacob embraced me after I promised to come back soon.

When I arrived at the Cullen mansion, it was unusually quiet. I figured that everyone had went hunting. It was normally kind of noisy in here. Someone was always watching TV, playing a game, or listening to ear-splitting music.

However, a door opened to my left and Carlisle stepped into the hallway.

"Hello, Isabella. I wasn't expecting to see you here," he remarked, kissing my forehead. His nose wrinkled. "Er...you smell like a werewolf, sweetheart."

"Sorry. I wasn't expecting to see _you_. Didn't you have to work today?" I asked.

"Yes, but it was a slow day, and my boss didn't see why I should stay when nothing was going on. Enough about me. How are you?"

"I'm fine and you?"

"Same here."

Carlisle slipped his hands into his pockets. "So, what would you like to do? Are you hungry?"

I said no. "I just ate at Jacob's."

Carlisle nodded pensively. "Well, then...would you like to go for a hike in the forest with me?"

"Okay. That's sounds fun."

"Let's go."

Carlisle opened the door for me and bowed. "Ladies first," he declared.

I smiled slightly. "Thank you. You're such a gentleman."

"You're welcome."

Carlisle shut the door behind him and we strolled across the lawn. When we were under the shelter of the trees, he hooked his arm. I linked mine with his.

It was a pleasant day for Forks. Even though it was sort of cloudy, the sun shone from time to time. It was silent except for the chirping of birds, the snapping of twigs under our feet, and the tricking of the stream not far from the house. The breeze smelled fresh and clean.

Neither of us spoke for a while. We just took in the scenery around us. It was peaceful here.

Being in Carlisle's presence made the walk that much better. Even though we had been intimate before agreeing to date, there was no awkwardness between us. In fact, I was comfortable, and it felt nice having his arm attached to mine. This was strange to me. We had only spent time together twice.

I cleared my throat. "Where are Alice and the others?" I questioned.

"Alice and Rosalie had decided to go shopping, and Emmett and Jasper are hunting. They should be back soon," Carlisle responded.

"What were you doing before I came?"

"I was in my bedroom reading _Othello_."

"You like Shakespeare?"

"Very much so, do you?"

"Yes."

Carlisle beamed. "I'll have to show you my library sometime. I have all kinds of books that you would like."

I inclined my head. "Sure, if you want to."

We continued our amble through the woods. I occasionally asked him a few things, such as what his favorite color was and the type of music that he liked. He liked black, which should have been obvious. He adored music from the 30's, 40's, 50's, 60's, as well as classical music and opera. In turn, I told him that my favorite colors were red and green, and that I liked modern rock music.

I also asked him if he had any leads on Edward, but he shook his head. Alice was still unable to see him or his future. Just flickering images that annoyed her. In addition to that, Jasper fed off a lot of anger and rage from her blurred visions. Edward hadn't contacted the Denalis, and Tanya was just as inscrutable as he was. She read the Volturi's minds to see if he had decided to go to Italy too, but he never encountered them either. That lessened their worries a bit, but not much. Edward obviously wasn't doing too well.

We were so busy talking that I didn't notice that the sun was setting until Carlisle pointed it out.

"Come with me. I want to show you something," Carlisle stated.

He led me over to a clearing a few feet away and removed his shirt. I gasped as the diamonds in his skin shimmered in the sunlight. He looked more than beautiful and wonderful put together.

"You're perfect," I whispered, stepping over to him.

Carlisle was pleased. "Thank you, _ma Belle_. And between you and me, so are you."

My cheeks tingled with heat. I kissed Carlisle on the lips. He wrapped his arms around my back.

"This is charming," an amused voice chuckled.

We pivoted to see Emmett standing nearby. A grin was tugging at the corners of his mouth. Dammit.

"Yes, Emmett? Did you need something?" Carlisle inquired politely.

"No. I just happened to be passing by and I saw you two. Just wanted to say hello."

I rolled my eyes. "Hello, Emmett," I greeted, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Hi Bella! You seem to be getting on really well with my dad. You two look great together," Emmett observed. He winked at me.

I rolled my eyes again, this time in embarrassment.

Carlisle went into defense mode. "Leave her alone, son."

Emmett smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, Carlisle. You know I didn't mean anything by it. I'll be heading home, then."

"I'll meet you there later."

Emmett waved and ghosted out of the clearing.

Turning to me, Carlisle said, "I'm sorry about him. You know how he is."

"Yes, I do, " I remarked fervently.

After chatting a while, we left the clearing and made our way out of the forest. By the time when finally reached his house, it was completely dark outside.

Carlisle stroked my hair. "I enjoyed my day with you, _ma Belle_. I really like spending time with you. You have no idea how much."

I blushed heavily. "I could come over tomorrow if you like?"

He nodded. "I would like that."

I noticed that put a slight emphasis on the would.

XXX

Carlisle and I continued to see more of each other over the next few weeks. We would go for walks or watch a movie together. Sometimes he would take me out to dinner in Port Angeles or even Seattle and Olympia. At other times, we would just talk.

After about a month, I felt brave enough to tell Charlie that Carlisle and I were dating. I knew that there was a high possibly that he would be furious, or would take things the wrong way. But if he didn't like it, so be it.

"Dad," I called to him while I was stacking plates in the dishwater around noon.

"Yeah, Bella?" Charlie yelled from the living room.

"Can you come here?"

Charlie entered the kitchen. "What is it?"

I sat down at the table and gestured to the chair across from me. "I have something important to tell you. I don't know how you're going to take what I have to say, but please don't blow up on me."

Charlie perched on his seat with a grunt. "I won't make any guarantees, but I promise to try not to."

I took a long, deep breath. "Dad, I've been going out with Carlisle...for five weeks."

He stared at me blankly for several seconds. "He's a bit older than you, don't you think?" he asked tonelessly.

"He's not that much older than me...he's twenty-five. You know that."

"Yes, I know that."

He ran a hand through his hair. "You aren't, by chance, doing this to get revenge on Edward for cheating on you, are you?"

I shook my head earnestly. "I knew you were going to ask that. But no, I'm not."

Charlie saw the truth in my eyes and sighed in relief. "Good. I just don't want any drama coming up between you three." He tapped his fingers on the table. "I'm not saying that I don't like you being with Carlisle...because he is a good, respectable man. But I'm not saying that l like it either. It will take some time to get use to. But as long as he makes you happy and is treating you right, then that's all that matters. I approve. Besides, you're a grown woman, so it's really your choice whether you want to date him or not."

I grinned. "Thank you, Dad," I murmured, hugging him softly.

He patted my back. "I'm glad that you told me this, Bells, and decided not to keep it from me. That was a brave thing to do."

I squeezed his shoulder. "Thanks, Dad. Can I go over to Carlisle's house?"

"Sure, that's fine. Say hi to him for me, and to take care of you or I'll come after him with my rifle."

I snorted. I could imagine the look on his face when he saw that a bullet couldn't pierce his skin. "Okay. Bye, Dad. I won't get home too late."

He nodded absently.

I drove over to the mansion in a rush. Carlisle walked out of the door as I pulled up in the driveway.

"What happened?" he demanded in concern, obviously believing that something was wrong.

"Nothing," I replied. "I told Charlie about us."

Carlisle's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "What did he say?"

I kissed him for a minute. "He said that he neither liked or disliked the idea of of us being together, but he approved of it as long as you treated me right and made me happy. He says hi and for you to take care of me. Otherwise, he'll come after you with his rifle."

"We won't have to worry about that, then. You know that I adore you. I would never dream of hurting you in any way."

"Of course not, seeing as you can't."

"Enough with the puns, Isabella. I _can_ daydream, after all."

"I stand corrected."

We shared a laugh and went to his bedroom to celebrate.

"BE SURE TO KEEP IT DOWN UP THERE!" I heard Emmett shout.

"Yeah, whatever. Mind your own business!" I retorted.

I slammed the door and we undressed before gettin' our freak on for the first time in more than a month.

"MY HEAD!" Alice groaned in agony.

"MY EMOTIONS!" Jasper bellowed.

"MY EARS!" Emmett and Rosalie complained.


	4. Jacob Finds Out

Later that afternoon, while Carlisle and I were sitting on the porch swing, I inquired, "Carlisle? Have you ever...dated another woman besides me?"

He chuckled. "Yes, I have dated a few over the years, but the relationships weren't very serious and they didn't last long. Besides, I didn't want to run the risk of exposing what I am to them," he replied after a long moment. He kissed my forehead. "Why do you ask?"

"Just curious," I murmured, flushing pink.

Carlisle grinned and peered at me intently. "You are a terrible liar, Isabella. Tell me the real reason why you asked me this. You know that you can tell me anything."

My face tingled even more. "I only asked because I wanted to know if...if I was your first."

"Ah. Yes, you are. I wanted to save myself for someone special. Of course, it wasn't easy to do so, especially after I had met you. You have no idea how many times I had fantasized about you."

I was taken aback by this statement. "You used to fantasize about me?"

He nodded. "Oh yes. I was lucky that Edward had never found out about it when you two were together, or else he would have taken my head off."

Scoffing, I remarked, "He tried to do just that after he found us naked in your bed."

"Mmm," Carlisle agreed dejectedly. "I didn't intend for him to see that at all. He would have found out about it eventually, of course, but I regret that he had the way he did."

"Do you think that that's why he left? Because he caught us, I mean?"

"If that wasn't the reason, then it was definitely because he realized how much I love you. It made him feel very jealous, I think. Before we started to fight, I revealed how I felt about you. It was clearly too hard for him to handle. In addition to that, I believe that your deciding not to go back to him caused him a tremendous shock. I think I had it in his mind that he could get you to take him back."

I snorted. "He should have known that I wouldn't after he cheated on me. That was unforgivable. In all honesty, I'm glad that I didn't take him back. He always tried to control everything I did. I know that he only did it for my safety, but he never let me make my own decisions about anything else either. Everything was centered around him and what he wanted. I almost never had a say in anything," I remarked.

Carlisle was upset. "That was very selfish of him. He treated you no better than a naive, unintelligent child, when in fact you are not," he stated.

I kissed him on the lips. "That's one of the reasons why I love you so much. You respect me, and you let me do almost anything I want even if you don't agree with it. Such as if I decided to visit Jacob."

He buried his face in my hair. "Jacob is your best friend, sweetheart. I wouldn't try to keep you from seeing him unless I thought it was _absolutely_ necessary. And of course, I don't see that happening too often. I may not like the fact that he is a werewolf, but Jacob has never harmed you. I know that he wouldn't intentionally harm you either. He's a good person. He helped you with your depression after we had left months ago. And above all else, you trust him. Besides, I like knowing that you are happy and that you are enjoying yourself by doing the things that you like to do. Of course, I like knowing that you are safe and staying out of danger all the same."

This man was just too perfect for words. He was as selfless as I was, attractive, charming, intelligent, mature, thoughtful, understanding, and he cared about my opinions and how I felt about everything.

Carlisle was all that wanted in a person and more.

And it scared me. I had never loved another guy as much or as strongly as I loved him. Never. Was it possible that this was what Alice meant all those weeks ago?

It was a definite possibility.

"You're amazing, Carlisle," I whispered softly.

He gave a low chuckle and pressed his lips to my cheek. "Not any more than you are, _ma Belle_. You are very special to me," he murmured.

I smiled and snuggled more closely into his side. "I'm glad that you are my first."

"And I'm glad that you are mine."

We sat in silence for a while.

"Isabella?" Carlisle whispered.

"Mmm?" I grunted in response.

"Why did you ask if I was your first?"

I could feel my cheeks reddening again. "Because you were really good on our first time," I admitted. "How do you know so much?"

Carlisle shifted and took his time answering my question. "What would you say...if I told you that I watch pornography and read the Kama Sutra?" he queried.

He seemed nervous about my response, so I quickly reassured him. "I don't care. A lot of people do, including myself," I admitted truthfully with a shrug.

Carlisle sighed in relief. "I was afraid that you would think that I was a dirty old man."

I chortled. "Why would I? You're not a dirty person at all. To be honest, you're one of the most kindest, well-mannered people I know. Besides, it's good to be dirty some of the time, isn't it?" I winked at him mischievously.

"Yes, of course," Carlisle laughed. "Isabella, you are one of a kind." He kissed me lingeringly on the lips.

A moment later I peered at my watch. "I have to go home for a little bit. I have to fix Charlie his dinner. I'll try to find a way to come back."

"Already taken care of," Alice proclaimed, walking out of the house. "I called him for you and asked if you could spend the night."

"I'm surprised that he's letting me," I remarked.

Alice frowned. "Why wouldn't he? You're eighteen. You're out of high school now. You could _live_ here if you wanted to."

I made a face. "I don't think Charlie would me to move out right now. He would want me to wait a few months because he knows I'm dating Carlisle."

"Oh, come on, Bella! Charlie's fine with you going out with him. Besides, if you don't go to college in September, you'll be living here anyway. I bet if you asked him next month to move in with us, there would be a good chance of him letting you. Charlie trusts Carlisle."

"I know. Well, I'll be right back as soon as I finish cooking Charlie's dinner then. See you soon."

I gave Carlisle another kiss and hugged Alice before getting in my truck and driving home. Charlie was sitting in the kitchen when I arrived.

"Hey," I greeted.

"Hi," Charlie mumbled.

I pulled a few pans out of the cabinet. "Alice told me that she called you," I said matter-of-factly.

He nodded. "Yeah."

"You don't mind, do you? I can just tell Alice that you changed your mind..."

"No, no, it's okay. I just want you to be careful while you're over there. But I know that you will. You're almost nineteen, and I trust you to be responsible in whatever you do."

I was taken aback by this unexpected statement, but didn't comment on it. I didn't know what to say anyhow.

I fried some fish for Charlie before going to my room to pack some clothes. Then I left, saying good-bye.

"Have fun. And be careful," Charlie added before I closed the door, wagging his finger.

I turned away and rolled my eyes. "I will."

Carlisle was still on the porch swing when I pulled up in the driveway. He gave a tiny grin as I approached.

"What are you still doing here?" I inquired, teasing him a little as I perched on the seat next to him.

He stroked my hair. "Just waiting for you to come back so that I can have someone to talk to."

I scoffed. "You didn't have to wait for me. Besides, you're not alone. You have your family."

"Granted. But I like talking to you too."

"I've noticed."

Carlisle chuckled. "Is there anything in particular that you want to do this evening? Anywhere that you would like to go?"

I shook my head. "Not that I can think of. Why? Did you have something in mind?"

"Not really, but if it's not sunny or rainy tomorrow, I would like to go sailing with you on the ocean since I have the day off. That is, if you don't mind going."

I thought about it. "It sounds fun, but I've never went sailing before. And with my luck, I'll probably fall out of the boat," I murmured ruefully.

Kissing my forehead, Carlisle whispered, "You won't have to worry about that, baby. I intend to keep both eyes on you."

I smiled. "Then I guess we'll go sailing then."

We stayed on the porch until nightfall, then went inside. I played games with Emmett and Jasper while Carlisle went upstairs to his room. Alice and Rosalie joined us.

After a few hours had passed, I was ready to go to bed.

"Good-night, guys," I yawned.

"Night, Bella," everyone but Rosalie chorused, who gave me a curt nod.

"Enjoy the rest of your evening," Alice declared with a sly wink. The others snickered.

I blushed with embarrassment. "Shut up," I hissed, making them laugh even more.

I climbed up to the third floor. When I opened the door to Carlisle's room, I saw that he was reading a book. As I walked in, however, he turned to look at me.

"Hello again, my dear," he murmured, patting the spot next to him.

I laid down close to him. "Hey."

Carlisle placed his book on the side-table drawer before wrapping his arms around me. "So...ready for round two before you go to sleep?"

I giggled. "Sure, but if you don't mind, I would like to be in charge this time."

"I can't say no to that," he purred. He kissed me deeply while slowly pulling off my shirt.

"CARLISLE, WE'RE GOING HUNTING! SEE YOU TOMORROW!" Alice yelled from downstairs.

He smiled widely. "Thanks, kids," he called to them.

"YOU'RE WELCOME, CARLISLE..._EMMETT!_ GET AWAY FROM THAT DOOR, YOU PERVERT!" Alice shouted, causing Carlisle and I to howl with laughter.

"Thanks again!" Carlisle stated.

"Aww, Alice! Why do you always have to ruin my fun?" Emmett whined.

"Because you're a tactless pain in the ass!"

"Watch your language, please!" Carlisle yelled with a stern voice. Everyone else chortled, including me.

Emmett's voice faded as he and Alice got into a playful argument. Seconds later, they were gone.

I turned to Carlisle. "Now. Where were we?" I asked in what I hoped was a seductive voice.

He wrapped his arms around my waist. "Right here," he whispered. He kissed me again before taking my shirt off completely.

I pushed him onto the bed and straddled his lap while unbuttoning his shirt. I bent over and kissed his muscular torso and abs, murmuring "I love you" occasionally.

When I came to the waistband of his jeans, I undid them and pulled them down along with his boxers. After Carlisle kicked them off, I slid my tongue teasingly up his shaft and around the head. Carlisle threw his head back and moaned when I finally took him in my mouth. He tasted so good, like vanilla and cream.

"Yes, Isabella," he hissed as I bobbed up and down.

I was able to take half of his cock in my mouth. I stroked the other half and his sack with my hand, adding to his pleasure.

"_God_, Isabella...so good..." Carlisle breathed minutes later. "I don't t-think that...I can hold on...much longer..._fuck_!"

His cold, delicious seed spurted into my mouth as his back arched. I swallowed every last drop of him.

Carlisle smiled at me as I crawled over him. "You have one talented mouth, darling."

I grinned back in relief. I was afraid that I had ruined the experience for him. "Thank you."

"Now, let's get these off," he said gently, reaching up to unclasp my bra. "Those beautiful breasts," he whispered, brushing his thumbs across my perky nipples. He took one of them in his mouth and suckled it, causing me to moan. Then he unbuttoned my jeans and tugged them off with my panties.

Once they were removed, I tentatively slid onto him.

"You look nervous, my dear," Carlisle observed.

"I've never done this before. I don't want to mess it up," I explained.

Carlisle rubbed my back comfortingly. "Don't worry about messing anything up. Just take your time. Follow your instincts."

I smiled once more and kissed him again before fully seating myself on him.

We moaned as I rode him slowly. As I gradually became used to the position, I started to quicken my pace.

Carlisle held my hips. "Yes, Isabella. Just like that...now fuck me faster, baby..."

I obeyed every command until I was pounding him so hard that it would leave bruises on my skin. But I didn't care. The pleasure was just too good.

"Ohhhhhhhh fuuucckkkk," I moaned. I felt myself edging closer to my orgasm.

"Fuck, Isabella! I can't get enough of you!" Carlisle grunted.

I slammed onto him. "Shut up, bitch!" I growled before riding him faster.

Carlisle bit his lip and moaned.

"You like me fucking you like this, don't you?"

He didn't respond; it seemed as if he was deeply immersed in ecstasy.

I slammed onto him again. "_Answer me when I ask you a question, bitch!_" I shouted.

"Yes, baby, I love it when you fuck me hard!"

"Are you ready to cum with me?"

"Ohhhh yes."

"Good."

With several more thrusts, we flew into our orgasms at the same time. We yelled so loud that the windows damn near shattered.

Once I had rode out our orgasms, I laid next to him on the bed.

He slid his arm around me. "You were phenomenal, considering that that was your first time riding someone. You're a natural."

I grinned softly. "Thanks," I murmured.

Carlisle reached down and pulled the blanket over me. "Get some sleep. We have a big day ahead of us. I love you." He kissed me on the lips.

I ran my fingers through his silky-smooth hair. "I love you too, Carlisle."

And seconds later, I was knocked out.

(Next morning)

When I woke up the next day, Carlisle was sitting in his armchair by the window instead of lying beside me on the bed, covered in a black robe. He was staring at the cloudy sky, but turned to gaze at me as I sat up and yawned.

"Good morning, angel," he smiled.

"Morning," I replied, returning his grin.

I was in the middle of stretching when I realized how much my muscles were aching. I winced a little, and Carlisle noticed.

"Are you feeling all right?" he queried. He got up from his chair to sit next to me.

I nodded. "Yeah. I guess I just overdid myself last night, that's all." I untangled myself from the blanket that was wrapped around me. "I'm going to wash up and get dressed."

While I was taking my shower, I found bruises on my thighs. I smiled in amusement. I really had been working very hard the previous evening.

When I was finished, Carlisle took one as well. I was barely half dressed when he came back to the room and put on his clothes.

I had just finished putting on my jeans when my cell phone rang. Jacob was calling. Every since I started dating Carlisle, I hadn't visited him much. Jacob didn't know that I was, and I didn't know how to tell him. I knew that if I did, it would make him angry, not to mention terribly envious, so I didn't bring it up at all. I felt guilty about it, but I didn't know how I would explain it to him.

"Hey, Jake!" I greeted brightly.

"Hi Bella!" Jacob responded. "What are you up to today? Would you like to watch me rebuild Sam's Chrysler?"

I made a face. "Oh, man. I wish I could, but not today. I'm hanging out with Alice," I lied. "How about tomorrow?"

Jacob was silent before he stated dejectedly, "Oh, okay. That's fine, I guess. I'll see you then."

"Yeah."

"Bye, Bella."

"See you, Jacob."

Carlisle was watching me. "Jacob wanted you to visit again?"

I nodded. "He's rebuilding Sam's car."

After a moment, Carlisle and I went downstairs and he fixed a lunch for me. Once we were ready, we left the house and stepped into his Mercedes.

"Excited?" Carlisle inquired as we sped through the long driveway.

"Yeah. I can't wait," I responded enthusiastically.

The ride to the shore took a half an hour. After Carlisle parked the car, he opened the door for me and walked along the beach. Pretty soon, we arrived at the docks.

"Here we are," Carlisle announced, pointing to a large white sailboat. On the side of it, it read _Stregone Benefico_.

My jaw dropped in sudden realization. "This is _yours_?"

Carlisle nodded with a smile. "Yes. I bought it sometime after I moved back here and had my nickname painted on it. Do you like it?"

"I love it."

"I'm pleased that you do."

We stood there quietly for a moment before Carlisle clapped his hands together. "Well...let's have an adventure!" he proclaimed.

He climbed onto the boat, lifted me up, and set me down next to him. Then he untied the boat from a pole and we drifted out to sea.

Carlisle placed a pillow and few blankets on the bottom of the boat. "Relax. Make yourself comfortable."

I laid down and Carlisle pulled my feet onto his lap while he steered the boat further away from the docks. A moderate breeze tugged at the sails.

"You sure did pick a good day for this. Feel that wind. It's strong," I remarked.

"Yes, it is," Carlisle agreed.

I put my arms behind my head. "Do you go sailing often in the summer?"

Carlisle nodded. "Most of the time I do this by myself, but I occasionally bring my family along."

I frowned in bewilderment. "How come? They don't like sailing much?"

"Oh, they do. Besides, they all have their own sailboats."

"Really!"

"Yes. But they usually do the things that they normally like to do anyway. Like shopping and playing games all day," he joked.

We chuckled.

"How come you've never went sailing before?" he queried a short while later.

"Because I'm too clumsy and accident-prone," I responded. "I guess you could say that I was trying to keep myself from danger."

Carlisle laughed. "It's really too bad. You don't know what you're missing. Sailing is a very diverting activity. You get to see whales and dolphins up close, if you're lucky. And if it is particular windy, it seems like you're wind-surfing. Sometimes my family and I have races. Boat rocking is even more fun."

I grinned. "Oh, I'm sure," I stated, noting the double-meaning behind his words.

"It is. I'm afraid that that is why Alice doesn't go sailing much. Emmett always manages to get her in the water."

"I bet that it makes her really angry."

"Oh yes. Jasper has had to keep her from tearing him limb from limb many a time."

"I can imagine."

Carlisle took control of the boat for several minutes longer, then settled himself next to me.

"We're not going to drift farther into the Pacific Ocean and end up in Hawaii or Guam, are we?" I inquired tensely.

He smiled faintly. "Of course not, darling," he assured me. He wrapped an arm around me and held me close.

The sailboat rocked gently on the waves, swaying this way and that from time to time. There were a few moments when I checked to make sure we didn't go too far out, but Carlisle told me not to worry. He would know how to get us back to the docks if something happened.

So I calmed down and relaxed in his arms once again. This time the boat's languid movement was hypnotizing, making me drowsy even though I had a good night's sleep. The air smelled fresh and salty.

"Mmm," I whispered in content. "This is so peaceful. I could do this all day."

I felt Carlisle kiss my forehead. "If that is what you wish, we can," he murmured.

I shrugged. "Fine with me, but only you want to."

"I don't mind at all. I just want you to enjoy yourself and have fun."

I smiled again and cuddled into his side. I took one of his hands in mine when I suddenly experienced an electric shock, causing me to jump.

_What the hell? _I said to myself. I looked up to see that Carlisle was just as puzzled as I was.

"You felt it too?" I asked.

He nodded.

I gazed at our clasped hands. "Huh. That was bizarre," I commented.

"Very," Carlisle agreed.

After reflecting on it for a moment longer, I decided to just brush the whole thing off. Carlisle appeared to had done the same, because he didn't mention it either.

He was taking charge of the boat again when he nudged me. "Look at that whale over there," he announced, gesturing southward.

I sat up and looked around. "Where?"

"There."

I slightly leaned over the edge of the boat to look in the direction he was pointing, but I still didn't see anything.

Suddenly, the boat swayed, dipped, and then I was splashing into the ocean. Luckily, I had grabbed the edge of it before falling in, so I was able hoist myself back onto it.

Carlisle was snickering quietly.

"I'm glad that you find this so _fucking_ hilarious because I don't!" I shouted at him, picking up one of the blankets and aiming for his head. I couldn't believe that he tricked into a game of "Rock the Boat." "I'M SOAKING WET, YOU CRAZY-ASS BASTARD!"

He dodged it easily, continuing to laugh, unperturbed by the name-calling. "Come on, _ma Belle_. Where's your sense of fun?" he questioned.

I raised my eyebrows. "Oh, this is about fun, is it?" I demanded with an evil grin. I reached over to tip over the boat, but it wouldn't move on any of my attempts. Carlisle chuckled.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "I'll get you back for this. I don't know when, but I will."

"It will be surprising, I'm sure."

Oooh! It made me so mad that he didn't take me seriously! But that was okay. When I strike, he will know that he had underestimated me.

The rest of the day passed by without any more drama. When night fell, Carlisle tied the boat to the dock and we went back to Forks.

"That was a lot of fun, Carlisle," I said to him when he pulled up in my driveway. "Maybe we can go again if you don't make me fall in the ocean again."

"Sure. Whenever you like. I'll see you on Monday. Have fun watching Jacob rebuilding Sam's car. And I'm glad that you aren't mad at me anymore."

"How could I stay mad at you? I love you."

"I love you too, sweetheart."

We kissed each other for a long time before saying good-bye.

Charlie was sitting in the kitchen when I walked in the house. "Hey, Bella. Did you have fun with Carlisle?"

"Yeah. We went sailing."

"He didn't force you to do anything, did he?"

"No, Dad. He's not the type of person to do something like that."

He nodded, looking somewhat embarrassed. "Good. Are you going to see him again tomorrow?"

I said no. "I'm hanging out with Jake tomorrow."

Charlie gave a crinkly-eyed smile. "That's great. You should visit him more often. I know he misses you."

"Yeah," I mumbled before going to my room.

(Next day)

When I arrived at Jacob's house, it was almost noon. I knocked on the door and Billy, Jacob's father, answered it a minute later.

"Hi Bella, how are you?" he greeted with a smile.

I returned it. "Hey, Billy, I'm fine. Is Jacob here?"

"No, he's in the garage. He's been in there since early this morning."

"Oh, okay. I guess I'll see you later then."

"Have fun."

I strolled through the trees leading to garage and called out to Jacob several times.

He shouted a response right away. "In here!"

I grinned at him as I stepped into the garage. "Hey."

Jacob looked up from what he was doing. "Hey, Bella!" he exclaimed. He pointed to crate. "Have a seat, I'll be with you in a sec. I just have to finish fixing this here."

I sat where he indicated and crossed my leg. "What's up? What's been going on lately, besides rebuilding Sam's car?"

Jacob shook his head. "Not much. Just tending to my duties as a protector really, nothing else. Of course, nothing dangerous has turned up. How have you been? Have you heard from...him lately?"

"I've been great, and no, there's no news on Edward. Alice still can't see him. This is beginning to really worry her; it's been almost six weeks."

"How's Charlie doing? I haven't heard from him for a few days."

"Charlie's fine. He told me to say hello to you."

"That's good. Tell him I said hi back. Did...did you have fun with...Alice...yesterday?"

"Yeah, we had a good time," I lied.

We continued to talk while he continued working. When he was finally done, he came over to where I was and embraced me tightly, rocking us back and forth.

Then he sniffed deeply and winced. "Hmm. That's strange. I never smelled this scent on you before."

_Oh no,_ I thought. I quickly pretended to be oblivious. "What scent?" Thank God my voice didn't tremble. I was becoming a little better at lying.

Jacob sniffed again. "The one I smell on you right now. It smells like..." He blinked and scowled, drawing back a little.

I just stared at him blankly, pretending to be confused.

"...like Dr. Cullen," he concluded.

"I told you that I was hanging out with Alice, so I eventually crossed paths with him," I pointed out.

He frowned again. "Bella, I don't smell her scent on you at all. Just his, and it's still strong," he remarked, his voice becoming louder.

Shit! How was I going to keep this from him now?

Jacob's expression changed from perplexity to dawning fear and rage the longer he gaped at me. "Bella...what's going on?"

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out.

Abruptly, his face turned reddish-green, just like a McIntosh apple. He looked furious, hurt, and ill at the same time.

"No...tell me you're not..." he babbled, shaking his head. "Is there something going on between you two?"

I was almost too scared to nod. Even when I did, it was a small one.

But it was enough for Jacob. His arms began to shake. I moved slowly away from him, out of the garage.

"Seriously, Bella! His _father_? You're...you're going out with him? That's just _sick_! You just had to pick the next vampire you could find, didn't you? What are you _thinking_? How could you do something like that? _How come **I'm** never __good enough for you? Why can't you ever pick me!_" he demanded, jealousy burning in his eyes.

"Jake...!" I gasped out, reaching for his arm.

He backed away. "DON'T TOUCH ME!" he yelled. "Why, Bella? Why?"

"Jacob...I love him..." I whispered.

"I LOVE YOU!" Jacob bellowed insistently, jabbing his forefinger into his chest several times.

Tears welled up in my eyes. I hated myself for causing him this pain, this sadness, this anger. "I know that. And you know I love you too, but like I told you weeks ago, I don't love you the way you want me to."

Jacob reached out and shook my shoulders vigorously. "But you can try! _Please_, Bella! You may love Dr. Cullen, but I don't think that he loves you. He's probably just using you! What would Charlie say about this?"

My jaw dropped in disbelief. I wanted to slap him. "How could you say that! He was there for me when Edward after cheated on me! If he _wanted _to use me, he would have done so and ditched me a long time ago! And for your information, Charlie does know about us, and he doesn't care as long as Carlisle makes me happy. As long as Carlisle never harms me. You're supposed to be my friend! Why can't you be happy that I'm happy?" I shrugged out of his grasp. "I'm leaving. When you want to be more reasonable, call me."

"No! Bella, don't go!" Jacob pleaded. "I'm sorry! Please don't go!"

"I said I'm leaving. It will be best for the both of us. We need some time away from each other."

With that, I headed for my truck. Jacob shouted my name again, but I ignored him, even when I heard an ear-splitting roar crashing through the forest. I was too upset to keep talking to him.

Once I climbed in my Chevrolet, I drove out of La Push, blinded by tears.

I didn't even realize where I was going until I was in front of the mansion. I parked my truck in the garage and stormed into the house.

"Isabella?" I heard a soft voice call to me.

I turned to see Carlisle standing nearby. He was home for his lunch break.

Peering at me closely, he inquired, "What the matter, baby? You look as if you had just lost your best friend."

"Funny you should say that," I sniffed, and told him everything that happened at Jacob's.

When I finished my story, he embraced me. "It will be all right, sweetheart. Just let the news soak in his head for a while, and he'll come around. If he still wants to remain your friend, then hopefully he will accept everything, look past his feelings for you, and focus on yours."

"Yes. I don't want to lose him. If I do, I don't know how I would stand it. He's my best friend, and I love him like a brother."

"I know, _il mio__ piccola bella_. I know. But everything will be fine. You'll see."

I hoped that he was right. I truly hoped so.

**(A/N: PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW, ANY SUGGESTIONS, ETC. Getting them makes you as happy as when you eat your favorite food.)**


	5. Author's Note

This is not an update. I just need your help right now. I can't think of anything to write for chapter 5, and I would be grateful if you could please help me with some ideas or opinions. I plan to have Bella forgive Jacob in this chapter, but not until the end of it.

I will replace this Author's note with chapter five as soon as I have some ideas.

Thank you!

~Iridescent Springs~


	6. The Mysterious Mail & He's My WHAT?

(A/N: Sorry for the long update. :( And thanks for your idea, **Emmett's Demoness**! Parts of this chapter are credited to you!)

XXX

Jacob and I didn't contact each other. After a few days had passed, I wanted to call him, since I had already forgiven him. But I took Carlisle's advice and waited for him call me himself.

Charlie, who knew why Jacob and I had argued-but didn't know everything about it-said the same thing.

"He really likes you, and I believe that it makes him jealous and sad that you can't return how he feels for you. But Jake has a good head on his shoulders. He'll be okay, and he'll apologize to you when he's ready and take the situation for what it is. He may still disagree with it, but at the end of the day, your happiness will be all that matters to him," he remarked.

This statement floored me. Charlie normally wasn't this talkative, and that was the most I heard him say since I told him that I was dating Carlisle. Nevertheless, I knew that he was right. I could only hope that Jacob would come to his senses, and soon.

XXX

I was in my room one evening, nodding off in the middle of a movie, when there was a knock on my window. I jerked awake as Carlisle slid it open and climbed inside.

"Hey stranger," I greeted, beaming at him.

"Hi baby," he smiled faintly in return. "Alice told me that Charlie was working tonight, so I thought that I would keep you company. Plus, there was something I wanted to speak to you about."

"That was considerate of you to think of me."

"You are always on my mind, sweetheart."

I moved over so that he could lay down next to me. "And you are always on mine."

Carlisle held me close. "What are you watching?" he inquired.

"Well, I was watching _Ferris Bueller's Day's Off_ until I almost fell asleep," I responded with a laugh. I picked up the remote and shut the TV off.

It was then I noticed how rigid he was. His face, which was normally placid, was tense. He looked as if he were brooding over something that worried him. "What's the matter, babe?"

He sighed deeply. "Do you remember when I told you that Alice was unable to see Tanya?"

I mulled over this before nodding. "Yes, I remember. Why?"

"Well, she had a vision of her tonight," Carlisle murmured, running his fingers through his hair in unease.

"So...?" I drew out the question, urging for him to continue. "Is she still with Edward?"

"Not at the moment. Alice has visions of Tanya waiting for him to come back to her in an abandoned house somewhere. She is certain that Tanya is not in Denali. Alice has seen that she hasn't contacted Eleazar, Carmen, or the others since Edward had left. They are extremely worried, and I don't blame them. Normally, Tanya would call them if she was going on a trip for an extended period of time."

"And what about Edward? Can't Alice see him by now? It's been eight weeks."

Carlisle shook his head. "No...nor does she know where he is. Something is very out of place here, for Alice never had trouble seeing him or his future before. She is trying hard to, but to no avail. Now, she is beginning to complain about headaches. I don't understand how Edward has been able to keep her from seeing him and his true decisions for so long."

I pursed my lips. "Me neither, but however he's doing it, he's good at it."

Frowning, Carlisle whispered, "Unfortunately."

"Has he come near Forks?"

"I don't think so. We would have known if he had."

"Oh. So what are we going to do now?"

"Alice is attempting to find out where Tanya is located, since that would be where Edward is. She'll let us know when she has any information. Until then, there is nothing that we can do."

I laid my head on his chest. "What will you do if you do find her?"

He rubbed my back gently. "Then we will find Edward to and see what he is up to."

Something had abruptly occurred to me then-something that I haven't thought about. "Hey...did you ever call him or Tanya?" I queried.

"Yes, we did call them. But either they have bought new phones or turned theirs off, for we can't reach them at all. We have emailed him too, but the result is the same."

"Has he gone to the Volturi?"

"Thankfully, no, he did not."

"Oh. Well, you'll find him eventually."

"I hope that we do."

I leaned up to kiss him on the lips, and I felt static charge through my mouth. We backed away from each other, confused. This was the second time that it had happened.

"Why does that keep going on?" I demanded in irritation.

Carlisle narrowed his eyes. "I don't know anymore than you do, sweetheart. I am sure, however, that it isn't a bad thing," he replied earnestly.

"I don't think that it is either," I remarked, kissing him again. This time I ignored the electricity shooting through our lips. He tangled his fingers in my hair and slid his other arm around my waist.

After giving me one last kiss, Carlisle moved away. "You should smooth down your hair. It's sticking up."

I frowned in bewilderment. "It is?"

He nodded.

I peered into my mirror to see if it was, but it not a strand was out of place.

Carlisle's eyes twinkled as I glared at him.

"You are _so_ not hilarious," I muttered.

"Perhaps I am not, but it was hilarious three nights ago when I fucked it up," he whispered.

"_What_ did you say!?" I demanded, roaring with laughter. I snatched a pillow up and hit him in the face with it. "You need to watch your mouth."

He scoffed. "You, of all people, have no right to tell anyone _that_. You had screamed and cursed so much that night, that if I didn't think that it was turn-on, I would have been highly ashamed of you."

I folded my arms across my chest. "But so did you, so don't make it seem as if _I _am the only potty-mouth in this relationship. And besides that, you just said 'fucked it up' two seconds ago."

"You're just as bad as I am for repeating it."

"Touché."

"Come back here. I'm starting to miss holding you."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

I crawled back over to him and snuggled into his arms. "That better?"

Carlisle rested his cheek on the top of my head. "Yes. Much better. So, do you want to have a little bit of fun tonight, or no?"

I made a face. "Nah. I wouldn't feel comfortable having sex in my house. Maybe, another time."

"All right. You look exhausted anyway, so I will let you get some sleep."

"Thanks for being so considerate of me."

"Don't mention it."

(Next Day)

When I woke up the next morning, Carlisle had already left. However, there was a note on my pillow.

_Isabella, my love,_

_If you like, I will be over to pick you up later. Call me and let me know if you want me to. My shift ends at 5:00, so_ _be prepared for my arrival by then. Wear something beautiful, please-a casual dress or the like. I adore you.  
_

_Love,  
_

_Carlisle xoxoxo  
_

I smiled and hid the note in my drawer. Instead of calling him, I left decided to leave him a text message. I knew that he was probably busy, and I didn't want to draw him away from his work.

_Morning babe, I read your note. You know that I would love to see you, so you can come get me at 5:00 as planned. I'll see you then?-B_

A reply was sent a few minutes later.

_Of course, sweetheart. I should be at your house by 5:10 or 5:15-C_

_All right. I love you-B_

_I love you too-C_

I put my phone in my pocket and went downstairs for breakfast. After that, I went outside to sweep the driveway. Leaves had flown all over the place.

By the time it was swept clean, it was mid-morning. I wiped the sweat from my brow; it was humid outside. I threw the trash bag that I was holding into the bin, then went to get something cold to drink.

While I was drinking a glass of water, I saw the mailman striding towards the house. He put some envelopes in the mailbox before leaving. I rinsed my cup out and went outside to retrieve them.

Most of them were bills and insurance stuff for Charlie. However, there was a letter for me with no return address on it, although the seal on it was from Michigan. I opened it, scowling in confusion-I didn't know anyone from there. Inside was a card with Shakespeare's Sonnet Number 40 on it that was surrounded by red and white roses and green vines.

_Take all my loves, my love, yea, take them all,_

_What hast thou then more than thou hadst before?_

_No love, my love, that thou mayst true love call,_

_All mine was thine, before thou hadst this more._

_Then if for my love thou my love receivest,_

_I cannot blame thee for my love thou usest,_

_But yet be blam'd, if thou this self deceivest_

_By willful taste of what thyself refusest._

_I do forgive thy robb'ry, gentle thief,_

_Although thou steal thee all my poverty;_

_And yet love knows it is a greater grief_

_To bear love's wrong than hate's known injury._

_Lascivious grace, in whom all ill well shows,_

_Kill me with spites, yet we must not be foes._

I gave a tiny smile. This had to be from Jacob. Perhaps he wanted to send this to me as a form of an apology. I did not think that he was the romantic type, though.

I picked up the cordless phone and called Jacob. He answered it after the third ring.

"Yeah?" he grunted.

"Hey Jake, it's me. Thanks for the letter, it's nice. I didn't know that you read Shakespeare," I noted.

There was a pause. "Bella, what are you talking about?" he demanded.

"The letter that you mailed to me," I pointed out.

"...I didn't send you anything, Bella. Doesn't it say who sent it?"

"No..."

Jacob was quiet for a moment. "Oh. Well, maybe _Dr. Fang_ mailed it to you. Did you ever think about that?" he inquired in a snide voice.

"No, I didn't, and _don't_ call Carlisle that! That's not his name!" I retorted in anger.

"Whatever. I wasn't the one who sent that letter."

"Well, it can't have been Carlisle either. Listen to this." I read the sonnet to him. "_He_ couldn't have sent it because he isn't even upset with me about anything. And if he was, he would have _told_ me so."

Snorting, Jacob remarked, "But how would _I_ know that? You haven't talked to me in weeks, so I wouldn't know how things are going between you two."

He was right about one thing. "Fine."

"Fine. Look, I have to go. Maybe I'll call you if you don't accuse me of mailing you anymore letters."

"That's not funny, Jacob Black!"

"Whatever. Bye."

"Bye!"

I slammed the phone onto the receiver so hard that I was afraid that I had broken it for a second. I pulled my cell phone out and sent Carlisle a text message.

_Carlisle, did you mail a letter to me?-B_

The response was immediate.

_No. Why?-C_

_Someone sent a card to me with Shakespeare's Sonnet Number 40, but it doesn't have a return address. I thought that Jacob mailed it to say sorry for what he said a few weeks ago, but he told me that it wasn't him. He believes that you mailed it-B  
_

_Hmm. I'll stop by your house on my lunch break and see if I can't find out who sent it. Ask Alice to visit...perhaps she'll know who did-C  
_

_Okay. See you then. Bye-B  
_

_All right, **ma Belle**-C  
_

"Hi Bella!" a wind-chime voice exclaimed.

I jumped and yelped. Thankfully, I didn't wake up Charlie, who was asleep in his room. "Don't do that, Alice. You scared me!" I reprimanded, clutching my heart.

She looked apologetic. "Sorry. May I see the letter, please?"

I handed it to her and she sniffed it. To my disappointment, she shook her head, genuinely puzzled. "Besides your scent and the mailman's, there is two more, but not anyone that I know. It definitely isn't from a vampire. I guess that Jacob was telling the truth after all. Maybe Carlisle will know who it is." She gave it back to me.

I took it. "Mmm. Maybe."

Alice stayed for a bit, then she left because she was going somewhere with Jasper.

Carlisle came over at one o'clock. He gave me another electrifying kiss (what was up with that?) before picking up the envelope. "Did you call Alice?" he questioned.

"I didn't have to. She saw that you wanted her to come and she did. She doesn't know who sent the letter, and she said that Jacob didn't," I replied.

"Well, she's right. And I don't smell any other werewolves either."

"Is any other scent on it familiar? Apart from mine and Alice's and the mailman's, I mean?"

He smelled it once more. "Unfortunately not."

"Then what should I do with it?"

"If you don't want it, then dispose of it."

"Good idea."

I ripped the envelope and the card to shreds and threw it in the trash. If it wasn't from Carlisle, then I certainly didn't want to keep it.

But why would someone send me a card without putting down a return address?

(Later)

For the rest of the afternoon, I kept busy by taking a shower and finding something to wear for the evening. Carlisle said to dress nicely, so I assumed that he wanted to take me on a special outing.

I searched around in my closet for a half an hour before spotting a magnificent, lavender silk dress with spaghetti straps. It came with matching pumps with three-inch heels. I recollected that Alice had bought them for me a month ago, but so far, I had never tried them on. I decided to wear it, since I couldn't find anything else that I had particularly liked.

After I had eaten a late lunch at four, I went upstairs to fix my hair and slip on the dress. I didn't require any make-up. My face was clear of pimples and there were no unsightly blackheads or blemishes. I did put on some cherry lip gloss, however.

My cell phone rang with a text message. I stepped over to my bed to read it. It was from Alice.

_Looking good, Bella!-A_

_Thanks-B  
_

_You're welcome :D-A  
_

I touched up my hair and was about to put my curlers away when there was a knock on my door. "Bella?" Charlie's voice called.

"Hey, Dad," I stated, opening it.

"Hey, Bella. Oh...were you going somewhere with Carlisle tonight?" he queried, taking it my dress.

I nodded. "Yes, and after that, I might spend the night at his house. Why? Did you need me to stay home?"

He waved his hand. "No, no. I just wanted to let you know that I'm doing another night shift."

"Oh, okay."

A familiar car horn beeped twice outside. I checked my watch; it was 5:10.

"Carlisle's here. I'll see you later, Dad," I claimed, grabbing my purse. Then I gave a swift kiss on the cheek and said good-bye.

Walking tentatively in my heels, I left the house and got into Carlisle's Mercedes.

"It's about time. I thought that I would be sitting here for hours before you made it to the car," he joked.

"Shut up," I laughed, rolling my eyes. I kissed him for a long minute. Static surged me. What the fuck? I chose to ignore it this time. "Hi. What are we doing this evening?" I gazed at his black suit and tie.

Carlisle pulled out of the driveway. "You and I are going to go to a club in Portland," he said. "A local jazz band is performing there, and I figured that you would like to go dancing with me."

My mouth fell open in disbelief. "Carlisle, are you insane? I'll break my leg or my arm or both!"

He chuckled. "I won't let you hurt yourself, baby. I promise."

We arrived at our destination in due time. Carlisle parked his Mercedes and we entered the club.

Loud music was pulsing through the air. Carlisle took my hand and led me over to a table. "Would you like something to drink?" he asked.

"Sure. I'll have a grape soda," I responded.

"Very well. Excuse me," he shouted to a waitress in a polite voice. "May I have a grape soda for the young lady here, please?"

The waitress gave him a flirtatious grin. Suddenly, I felt oddly jealous. "Of course. And what will you have?"

Carlisle returned her smile. "Oh, no thank you. I'm fine."

"I'll be ready with her drink in a few minutes." She made her way to the bar, wiggling her butt.

"Isabella? What's wrong?" He was looking right at me.

"Huh? Oh, nothing."

He scrutinized me closely. "Are you certain? I believe that I detect a hint of envy on your face," he observed with a faint smirk.

I shook my head and flushed. "My stomach's upset, is all. That was why I asked for a soda," I lied.

Carlisle narrowed his eyes. He clearly knew that I wasn't telling the truth but made no further comments.

The waitress return with my soda not long afterwards. When I had finished my drink, Carlisle stood up and held out his hand.

"Would you care for a dance, m'lady?" he inquired.

"Yes, I would, good sir," I responded.

A sensual jazz song was playing. He pulled me over to the dance floor and wrapped his hands around my waist. I slid my arms around his neck and we swayed to the music.

_I was just a rider on the storm_  
_I needed love to keep me feeling warm_  
_I was hanging around with nothing else to do_  
_Its about time that I found something new_

_The answer boy is you_  
_Where have you been all my life?_  
_I was nothing I was nowhere till you came and made it right_  
_No I didn't stand a chance till I found this sweet romance_  
_The answer boy is you. The answer boy is you_

_When you touch me, there's something deep inside..._

Speaking of which, my arms were tingling from the electric zooming through them. Carlisle was frowning in bewilderment.

_That tells me you're the reason I'm alive_  
_I was going insane until I found you boy_  
_I was out in the rain but now the sky is clear..._

He leaned over until his lips were close to my ear. "This was how I felt before we had met, and when you were dating Edward," he half-whispered.

I kissed his cheek. "So did I," I murmured, wondering why I chose to be with Edward at all. If I had dated Carlisle first, it would have spared me a good amount of trouble. But it didn't matter. I was with Carlisle now, and until that moment, I never realized how happy I was. How much I was with peace with him, and how much I loved him. If it wasn't for him, I was positive that I would have been very miserable.

_The answer boy is you, the answer boy is you_  
_Where have you been all my life?_  
_I was nothing I was nowhere till you came and made it right_  
_No I didn't stand a chance till I found this sweet romance_  
_The answer boy is you. The answer boy is you_

_Oh, where have you been all my life?_  
_I was nothing I was nowhere till you came and made it right_  
_No I didn't stand a chance till I found this sweet romance_  
_The answer boy is you. The answer boy is you_  
_Is you_

_Riding on the storm, keep my loving warm  
Yeah yeah  
The answer boy is you  
The answer  
The answer is you boy  
You are the answer uh_ uhh  
Come_ on and give me come on and give me  
Yeah yeah love_

I began to move away from him, but Carlisle held onto me. "Don't go. I would like one more dance with you. Just one more, and then we can do whatever you want," he declared as I was about to protest.

"Well...alright," I conceded.

The band started to play the next song.

_There's a spark of magic in your eyes_...

There was certainly magic in Carlisle's eyes. They were so alluring that I couldn't help but stare into them.

_ Candyland appears each time you smile_  
_ Never thought that fairytales came true_  
_ But they come true, when I'm near you_

"Especially when you're around, my queen," Carlisle hissed in my ear.

I blushed.

_ You're a genie in disguise_  
_ Full of wonder and surprise_

"That's definitely you," I grinned.

"No, that's _you_, my love," he returned. He spun me around, drew me close, and dipped me.

My eyes widened. I was surprised that I didn't stumble or fall. "Whoa," I snickered.

Carlisle placed his forehead on mine. "I told you that I wouldn't let you hurt yourself."

_Ohhhhhh, Betcha by golly Wow!_  
_You're the one that I've been waiting for forever..._

Perhaps we had been looking for each other. Perhaps we had.

_Forever will my love for you keep growing strong, keep growing strong..._

"As I'm sure it will," Carlisle mumbled.

"I know that it will," I replied softly.

_If I could I'd catch a falling star to shine on you so I'd know where you are_  
_All the rainbows in your favorite shade to show I love you thinking of you._  
_Write your name across the sky_  
_Anything you have to try_

I would do that for him, and I could tell by his expression that he was thinking the same.

_Betcha by golly Wow!_  
_You're the one that I've been waiting for forever_  
_Forever will my love for you keep growing strong, keep growing strong_

_Oooooh….Write your name across the sky_  
_Anything you have to try_

_Cause…Betcha by golly Wow!_  
_You're the one that I've been waiting for forever_  
_Forever will my love for you keep growing strong, keep growing strong_

_Oh, keep growing strong_

The song ended, and Carlisle and I sat down at another table.

"That was enjoyable," I remarked. "We'll have to go dancing more often."

"Oh yes," he agreed with a smile.

We stayed at the club for two hours. We may have stayed longer, but I had grown tired and wanted to go home.

The ride back to Forks was peaceful. Since it would be some time before we arrived home, I took a little nap. I woke up when Carlisle stopped in front of my house.

"I'll see you tomorrow evening, Isabella," he murmured, kissing me for a long time. "Good-bye."

"Bye," I returned. Then I got out of the car and ran to the house.

XXX

When I went downstairs early the next morning, I found Charlie snoozing in his recliner. An empty bowl was on the table, showing that he had eaten before conking out.

I washed it before going back into the living room. "Dad? Dad, get up," I whispered, shaking his arm.

"Hnnn?" he grunted, waking up with a start. "Oh, hi Bella. Wuzz wrong?"

"Nothing. You fell asleep on your chair again."

"Oh...I'll just go upstairs..." he murmured, getting to his feet. He shuffled into the hall and climbed the stairs two at a time. I heard his door close afterwards.

Pretty soon, I became hungry, so I made waffles for breakfast. Once I had finished toasting them, I went to watch TV in the living room.

Someone rapped on the front door while I was in the middle of watching _Charmed_. I peeked out of the window to see the mailman clutching a rectangular package.

"Miss Swan?" he questioned when I opened the door.

I nodded. "Yes?" I inquired

"These are for you." He held out the box. An envelope was tape to it, with no return address.

"Who is this from?"

The mailman shrugged, earnestly as bewildered as I was. "I don't know, but we processed them, and it doesn't hold anything dangerous."

I pursed my lips. "I see. Thank you," I added before nodding to him and shutting the door. I set the package down on the kitchen table and ripped open the envelope. This time, there was a card with Shakespeare's Sonnet 18 printed on it.

_Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?_  
_Thou art more lovely and more temperate._  
_Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,_  
_And summer's lease hath all too short a date._  
_Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,_  
_And often is his gold complexion dimmed;_  
_And every fair from fair sometime declines,_  
_By chance, or nature's changing course untrimmed._  
_But thy eternal summer shall not fade_  
_Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st;_  
_Nor shall death brag thou wand'rest in his shade,_  
_When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st,_  
_So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,_  
_So long lives this, and this gives life to thee._

I laid it aside before opening the package. Inside of a striped gold box was a single red rose.

Frowning, I took everything upstairs to my room, then stood by the desk. "Alice?" I stated.

She appeared at my window no later than twelve seconds. "Hi Bella. Same as yesterday?" she queried.

"Yes. I'm beginning to think that the mailman is in love with me," I joked.

"I don't think so. I would have saw it if _he_ was the one who sent this to you," she chortled, sniffing both the envelope and the box. "Hmm. I don't smell any familiar scents on these either."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

I sighed in irritation. "Fine. Whatever. Just take them and get rid of them, please?"

Alice bobbed her head. "No problem, Bella. I'll give these to Carlisle and the others to see if they have any ideas of who mailed these and get back to you."

"Thank you. Oh, and Alice," I said, abruptly thinking of something else that came to mind.

"Mmm?" she responded.

My eyes were narrowed as I pondered what I was about to ask. "Alice, I have noticed something that has come to my attention. Every time I touch Carlisle, or when my skin comes in contact with his, I feel as if as if someone is tasering me. Besides that, when I look into his eyes, it seems as if nothing else is important. Have you ever experienced something like that before? "

Wild exuberance lit up Alice's face. Suddenly, before I knew what was going on, she was spinning me around in her arms. "Oh, I should have known! I should have known from the first time I saw the vision of you and Carlisle...er...being affectionate," she squealed, letting me go.

"Known _what_?" I demanded.

"That Carlisle is your soul mate!"

I froze in blank shock, my mouth half-open. "He...Carlisle...He's my WHAT!?" I sputtered when I had finally found my voice.

Alice bounced up and down. "Your soul mate, silly Bella!"

I could only stare at her.

In due time, I had recovered from my astonishment, and I began to smile. "Really?" I inquired.

"Of course! Why do you think that you were so unhappy with Edward?" she pointed out.

"That makes sense," I remarked with a chuckle.

She embraced me again. "I'm so happy for you, Bella. When Carlisle gets off from work, we'll have to tell him the news."

I blinked. "He doesn't know this already?"

"No, but he suspects that there is more than your relationship than he thinks."

"Oh...well, I suppose that we'd better let him know that he's right."

(Later)

Accordingly, the both of us, plus Emmett, Rosalie, and Jasper waited for Carlisle to arrive later that evening. However, Alice didn't tell him that he and I were soul mates right away. Instead, she told him about the mail that I had received earlier.

"The package and the letter didn't have a return address either?" he asked with a confused scowl. He held both of them to his nose. "I don't smell anyone I know on them myself. What about you?" He gestured to Emmett, Rosalie, and Jasper, but they shook their heads sadly.

Carlisle turned to me. "What would you like me to do with them?"

I waved my hand dismissively. "Just throw them away."

"Very well, but do you think that you should tell your Dad about this?"

"No. I don't want to drag him into this."

He nodded.

Alice was quivering on her chair. "Carlisle, when you come back, I have to something else to tell you that is even more important than this," she piped up.

"Sure," he murmured, ghosting out of the room. He returned a second later and sat next to me on the couch. "Well?" He drew out the word, motioning for her to tell him what she had to tell him.

Alice looked as if she were going to explode with joy. "Do you remember when you told me that you thought there was more to your relationship with Bella than you had suspected?"

"You know that I would never forget anything, Alice. But why do you ask?"

"I just wanted to let you know that you are right. Bella told me earlier that when you two touch each other, she feels like something is shocking her."

Quirking an eyebrow, Carlisle nodded. "That is most definitely true. It has been happening for the past few days. So, how is this important?"

"Because that only happens when someone touches their soul mate," Alice declared.

His jaw dropped, and so did everyone else's except for her's and mine.

After what seemed like days, Rosalie glanced at me, then Carlisle. "So...so you're saying that Bella and Carlisle are...?" She couldn't finish her question.

Alice beamed. "Yep!"

Emmett grinned widely. "Well...that explains a lot."

"It sure does," Jasper agreed with a smile. He thumped Carlisle's shoulder and hugged me for a brief moment. "Congratulations, you two. I'm happy for you both."

I drew away from him. "Thanks, Jasper."

Rosalie and Emmett embraced us as well. "You have no idea how lucky you are to have each other," Rosalie whispered to us.

After everyone had finished hugging us, Alice threw a small party to celebrate. Just as we had on my engagement party, we listened to music and danced and played video games. Rosalie called the Denalis in Alaska and shared the news with them. In turn, they offered their congratulations also.

When Rosalie hung up the phone, Jasper proposed a toast. "To Bella and Carlisle. At least we know that _this_ relationship will last forever, and we know that they will always be happy together," he announced, raising a glass cup.

We laughed heartily at his slight teasing. "To Bella and Carlisle!" Alice, Rosalie, and Emmett proclaimed.

Carlisle and I were relaxing on the couch, watching Emmett and Jasper arguing about what game to play next, when my cell phone rang. Jacob was calling me.

I ran upstairs to Carlisle's office where it was much quieter and answered the phone.

"Hey, Bella," he mumbled in a toneless voice.

"Hi Jake," I returned quietly.

There was silence before I heard him take a deep breath. "Bella, look. I'm sorry for what I said that day in the garage. It was wrong and uncalled for. I just...I just didn't like finding out that you were going out with Dr. Cullen the way I did, and you know how I feel about...well, you know. You should have told me that you were dating him."

"Yes, I know, and I'm sorry. You're forgiven."

Jacob sighed in relief. "I forgive you too. So...how long have you two been dating?"

"Seven weeks."

"Mmm. Does he make you happy? Is he treating you right?"

"Yes."

Jacob sighed. "Good. That's all I care about. I still don't like it that you're together, but that's my opinion. I just don't want you to get hurt. Okay?"

I grinned somewhat. "I understand how you feel, Jake. But you don't have to worry about him hurting me. It turns out that...that Carlisle is my soul mate."

There was more silence. "Ah. I understand. Well, I'm glad for you, Bella. I really am," he added truthfully.

"Thanks, Jake. But don't be too sad. I'm sure that you'll find your imprint soon."

He chuckled. "Hopefully, I will. And thanks again-for forgiving me, I mean. Best friends?"

I found myself laughing too. "Best friends. Well, I'll call you back tomorrow. Alice is throwing a celebration."

"Okay. Bye, Bella. And sorry for snapping at you the other day."

"Don't worry about it, Jake. It's fine. See you."

"Bye."

I hung up the phone and went back downstairs.

Carlisle gazed at me in curiosity as I sat next to him. "Who was that?" he inquired.

"Jacob. He called to apologize to me for what he said," I responded.

He beamed at me. "I told you that he would call when he was ready."

I smiled back and kissed him on the lips.

The party lasted until midnight. Alice, Jasper, Emmett, and Rosalie decided to go for a hunt. It was too late to go home, but I sent Charlie a text message to let him know that I was spending the night with Carlisle. I had just put my phone away when he stood behind me and kissed my neck.

"It looks like we have the house to ourselves again," he noted. "Would you like to come upstairs with me?"

"Mmm-_hmm,_" I grinned, biting my lip.

Carlisle lifted me up and carried me to his room, placing me gently on the bed.

After he laid down next to me, he slipped his right arm around my hip. His cool, sweet breath washed over me before he kissed me with passion. I kissed him back, tangling my fingers in his hair.

"Carlisle?" I breathed.

"Yes, sweet Isabella?" he whispered, leaving tiny kisses on my neck.

I molded my body into his. "Make love to me."

He placed another kiss on my lips. "As you wish."

Shifting, Carlisle pulled me on top of him briefly so that he could remove my lavender t-shirt and dark wash jeans. Then he unclasped my lacy black bra. After tossing them to the floor, he rolled us over until he was hovering over me. He trailed his tongue from my collarbone to my tits. I moaned quietly when he sucked one of my nipples into his mouth. With his left hand, he rolled my other nipple between his thumb and forefinger. Every soft touch sent fire and static rolling through my veins.

The other hand, which was on my belly, started to inch downwards. My breathing grew shallow as it slid under my lacy black boy shorts.

"Fuck," I murmured when his fingers circled my swollen nub. Another moan escaped my lips.

He yanked off my boy shorts before dipping his head in between my legs. He swirled his tongue around my clit while thrusting four of his digits into my heat at moderate speed. I fisted my hands in his hair and ground my pussy into his face.

My moans became more frequent as I drew closer to my release. Carlisle was showing no mercy, licking my swollen nub vigorously while twisting his fingers inside me. The pleasure was so overwhelming that I believed that I would lose my mind.

"Isabella...let go for me," he hissed as my stomach tightened.

"_Fuck!_" I yelled as I came on his fingers.

When I had caught my breath, Carlisle sat up to remove his clothes. When he was naked, he hovered over me and slid his cock into my pussy. We moaned in longing.

His movements were slow and gentle. His eyes, which were pitch-black and half-open, gazed into mine. Love and lust raced across his. I kissed him hungrily on the lips. Carlisle groaned into my mouth.

As time went by, his thrusts became harder and just a notch or two faster. The bed rocked under us and repeatedly bumped into the wall.

Carlisle tilted and pulled my legs over his waist. His dick pounded into my g-spot over and over again. I met his thrusts with my own.

"Yes...yes...yes..." he grunted, his breathing ragged in my ear. He slid a hand down between our bodies and massaged my clit with his thumb.

"Ohhhhh Carlisle..._ungh_...so good," I moaned. My walls started to clench around him. "Fuck...I'm so close, baby. So _close_."

In response to this, he slammed into me several times. I came hard, my eyes rolling into the back of my head.

"_Carlisle_!" I yelled as sparks flew in my vision.

"_Isabella_!" he shouted. He buried his face in the crook of my neck and bit me. At first, I thought that he was going to change me. However, when I did not feel any burning, I realized that he was marking me as his mate.

After riding us out, he slid out of me and crawled over to his side-table drawer. Then he came back, positioned me on my knees, and smeared something cool onto my asshole.

I glanced at him. "Um, Carlisle? What are you doing?" I queried tentatively, having never been fucked in the ass before.

His grinned mischievously. "Claiming you as mine...thoroughly."

"Ah."

Once he had finished lubing me and his cock, he threw something aside. He spread my cheeks apart and slid into me inch by inch. It hurt so damn bad that tears slipped from my eyes, but I wiped them away.

When he was fully sheathed, Carlisle kept still until I signaled to him that the pain was gone. He gripped my hips and thrusted in and out of me gently.

"So fucking tight," he hissed in pleasure. I moaned as three of his fingers entered my pussy and moved in time to his thrusts.

Not long afterwards, he increased his speed. I clutched the blanket and pushed back onto him.

"_Ungh_! Yes, Isabella. Keep doing that," Carlisle groaned.

"As you wish," I whimpered.

We slammed onto each other over and over until we were both crying out in ecstasy.

"Oooooh _yes_!" I screamed.

Carlisle tugged my hair. "You-like-that?" he questioned, pounding into me with each word he said.

I nodded, but that wasn't good enough for him. He spanked me hard. "Talk to me, sweetheart!" he grunted.

"Yes, Carlisle! I like you fucking me in the ass!" I hollered.

Then, just when I thought that I was going to explode, I came harder than I ever had in my life. Carlisle followed after me with a roar. We collapsed on the bed, shuddering with the force of our release.

I slunk over to where Carlisle was after I had calmed down. "We have to do that more often," I mumbled wearily, laying my head on his torso.

He laughed quietly and stroked my hair. "Yes, we do," he agreed fervently.

I wrapped an arm around him and closed my eyes. "I love you, Carlisle," I whispered before sleep's deep waters could fully overtake me.

"I love you too, Isabella," he murmured, kissing my forehead.

(A/N: Well, that's the end of chapter 6! **PLEASE REVIEW! **The songs that were played in the club are called "The Answer Is You" and "Betcha by Golly, Wow", both by Phyllis Hyman [God rest her soul.])


	7. Hello, Bella

(A/N: **TM Twilight Girl**, I am using part of your idea for bits of this chapter. Thank you so much! And thanks for the help, **ThunderMoon'sRising**. Kudos to the both of you! Whoever reads it, enjoy the chapter.)

Before I knew it, August was more than halfway over. Charlie regarded the end of the month and the beginning of the next dismally.

"I'm really going to miss you, Bells," he sighed late one afternoon as we were eating dinner. "I can't believe that you're already going to college to make your way in the world. It seems like only yesterday when you were a baby."

I rolled my eyes in embarrassment. "Oh, Dad," I groaned. "Please don't mention it. But I'm going to miss you too. I know that we don't spend much time together, but it's true. I will...very much. And I'll try to visit whenever I can."

Charlie smiled a little. "I hope so. I don't want you to stay away for too long. I would want to know how you were doing."

"Yeah."

I shifted uneasily as I continued my meal. I was lying to him, and felt terrible for doing so.

I was going to Alaska, but I would not be going to college at all. At least, not any time soon. The truth was that I would (hopefully) be starting my new life with Carlisle.

Jacob had revealed to Sam that I was Carlisle's soul mate the day after I had told him. To my complete amazement, he had asked Sam if he would allow Carlisle to change me. I knew that Jacob still didn't like Carlisle, for obvious reasons, but I was touched when he explained to me that he asked him because he wanted me to be happy.

"He's better than his son, anyway," Jacob concluded with a shrug.

Sam was unsurprisingly taken aback by his plea of allowing me to be turned into a vampire. He told Jacob that he would consider it, but has not gotten back to him with a response, so far.

Besides all of this, I had spent some time catching up with my mom Renée too. It had been a long time since I had seen her. She and her husband Phil meant to come to my graduation, but Phil had broken his thigh bone trying to demonstrate a slide in baseball practice, so they were unable to attend the event. He had completely recovered by now, though.

"When are we going to see each other again?" she inquired one day while I was speaking to her on the phone.

"I'm not sure," I responded. "But if I'm lucky, I can visit you on Thanksgiving or Christmas."

"Couldn't you visit sooner?"

"No. I'm going to be so busy with everything that I'm not going to have much time to visit anyone much."

Mom sighed. "Okay. Well, listen, call or Skype me whenever you can," she pleaded.

I felt depressed all of a sudden. "I will," I mumbled.

She noticed how sad my voice was. "Honey, what's the matter?"

"Nothing. I just miss you, that's all."

"Aww, I miss you too."

We chatted some more, and then I said good-bye and hung up the phone.

(One early Saturday afternoon)

Jacob and I were taking a walk on the La Push beach. The sun was shining brightly on the ocean.

Normally, I would be spending time with Carlisle, since he never went to work on a day like this. But he and the rest of the family had went on another hunting trip. Because there was nothing else to do, I decided to hang out with Jacob. It would probably be one of the last times I would see him before I was changed into a vampire.

"It's going to suck not having you around for a while," Jacob remarked, breaking the silence.

I chuckled. "Yeah, it is. It was nice of you to ask Sam if I could visit you even after Carlisle changes me. I'm amazed that he said yes-_if_ he allows him to change me-even though he hasn't permitted Carlisle to change me yet. Thank you," I grinned.

Jacob smiled too. "No problem. Anything for my best friend. Lifetime of servitude, remember?"

I punched his elbow lightly. "I guess when I am able to see you again, I'll have to challenge you to a race."

"Hey, you're on!"

"I bet I'll be faster than you."

"Yeah, in your dreams!"

We shared a laugh, then grew quiet once more as we continued our stroll.

Presently, Jacob queried, "Does Alice still have trouble seeing Edward?"

I nodded. "Yes. Sometimes she sees Tanya-the bitch that he cheated on me with-but she still doesn't know where she or he is. Alice just sees her in that one room, waiting for Edward," I replied.

"Any more strange letters?"

"Just five, but no more than that."

"You still don't know who mailed them?"

"No, and I wish that whoever is sending them would stop. It's not like they could expect me to like them."

Jacob pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes. "Mmm. Did you ever think that maybe...Edward...sent you those letters?"

I blinked; I had never thought of that before. "No. If he had, we would have known by now. Carlisle and the others would have been able to smell his scent on the mail."

"...That's true. But who else do you know would send you love notes like that?"

I shrugged. "I don't know to be honest, unless Carlisle did mail them and he doesn't want to tell me. But if he did, then I don't mind or care."

"I don't think so. You made me smell them too, remember? I didn't smell his scent or any other scent that I know on them either. So, I guess you're right that...Edward...didn't send them. At least, not personally."

"What do you mean?" I inquired with a puzzled frown.

Running a hand through his hair, Jacob implied, "I'm not saying that this is the case, but I think that...Edward...might have paid someone to mail them to you. Someone he knows or met."

I mulled this over pensively. "Huh. That's something that I've never thought of. Perhaps, you're right. But Carlisle says that none of his family had ever gone to Michigan. It doesn't rain much in that state. Why would Edward want to go there, if that's where he is now?"

Jacob exhaled deeply. "Not sure. But he wouldn't go out during the day, you know, unless he wants to get himself killed. And if he happens not to be in Michigan, then he's somewhere."

"You're right about that. I'm hungry. You want to head out for pizza?"

"Sure. That sounds fine."

After we had our lunch, we spent the rest of the day in his garage. Jacob mostly talked about his friends. Sam was planning to marry his imprint, Emily, later in the fall. I was happy for them. They had been engaged for a while.

When I asked Jacob to send along my congratulations, he smiled. "I will. He may let you come to the wedding, as long as you don't stink up the place. If you're a vampire, that is," he joked.

I rolled my eyes. "Oh, shut up," I huffed, smirking.

Jacob laughed loudly.

Hours later, sunset approached, and I was ready to go home. I embraced Jacob before leaving. "I'll see you soon," I whispered.

He patted my back. "I hope so," he murmured.

The ride home wasn't long. I made it there before Charlie arrived, so I cooked dinner before going upstairs to my room.

Carlisle was there, sitting on my bed. "Hello, sweetheart," he greeted, beaming at me.

"Hey! You're here sooner than I thought you would be," I exclaimed, hugging him tightly. Then I kissed him on the lips. "Did you knock out a mountain lion for me?"

"And two elk."

"Good going."

I laid down next to him and he did likewise. "How was your day with Jacob?" he questioned, pressing me into his side.

I rested my head on his chest. "It was okay. We talked about how Alice couldn't see Edward again, and he came up with an interesting idea."

Carlisle shifted. "Oh really? What was it?"

"He thinks that Edward may be paying someone to mail those letters to me, which is why you can't smell any familiar scents on the envelopes. Of course, he doesn't know for sure because he has no proof."

Tapping his chin, Carlisle nodded thoughtfully. "Jacob may be correct on his suspicious."

"What if he _is_ right, though?"

"Then we'll have to see if we can find him in Michigan. That's where your mail is coming from."

I gazed at him. "You would do that?" I asked.

He kissed my forehead. "Probably, but I may have Alice, Jasper, Emmett, or Rosalie go there if they wouldn't mind. I would want to be here so that I can look after you and protect you if anything happens. But I'll have to consider this."

I snuggled into him. "You're cute when you care."

"Thank you for telling me. I didn't know."

"You're welcome."

He caressed my cheek. "Does Jacob know if Sam has come to a decision yet, or no?"

I made a face. "No. Jacob would have let me know right away. However, I think that Sam will let you change me, since I'm your mate. I'm certain that he knows that you wouldn't have asked this if I wasn't."

"Perhaps. We can only hope for the best."

Carlisle and I were in the middle of a TV show when he abruptly got to his feet. "Yes, Alice?" he inquired.

I jumped when Alice climbed through the window. "Hi Bella!" she declared, grinning cheerfully.

I smiled back. "Hey, Alice. What's going on?" I queried.

She turned to Carlisle, but was still directing the conversation at me too. "I spoke to the others about your plan. Jasper and I would be happy to go to Michigan for you. We could get airplane tickets to Lansing and travel all over the state and its upper peninsula in no time at all. We'll leave in a few days. That is, if it is okay with you. We won't go if you don't want us to," she added.

Carlisle peered at her intently. "Are you certain that this is what you would like to do? How do Emmett and Rosalie feel about this? Do they want to go as well?"

"Yes, but I told them that it would be better for them to stay here in Forks. If we do find Edward in Michigan, it will be easier for us to get through to him than anyone else. You know how Emmett is, and you know that Edward doesn't get along with Rosalie very well half of the time. He's too furious with you, and if Bella goes with you, he could harm her."

"That sounds reasonable. You may go, but I advise you to be careful if you manage to locate him. Edward may try to hurt you as well. I believe that you should take Emmett and Rosalie with you, just in case it comes to a fight."

Alice nodded. "You're right, and we will. That is one of the first things that are more likely to happen than anything else-Edward fighting us, I mean. I guess I better let Emmett and Rosalie know that they can come with us."

Carlisle pursed his lips in agreement. "Go ahead, then. I'll be here with Isabella, so you'll know where to find me," he stated.

She hugged him quickly. "Okay. I'll see you guys later," she proclaimed. Then she embraced me. "Call me if anything. Maybe we can hang out tomorrow?"

I wrapped an arm around her. "Alright, that sounds like fun."

When she was gone, Carlisle relaxed on the bed and held me close. "I hope that this works," he sighed.

I threw my arm across his waist. "So do I," I mumbled.

XXX

Over the next two days, Alice, Jasper, and the others prepared for the trip to Lansing. Carlisle gave them advice, telling them to search for Edward during the night, but not during the day, unless it was going to be cloudy or rainy. He also told them to stick to the outskirts, and never go into a city or town unless it was necessary. He didn't want them to draw any unwanted attention.

I helped Alice pack two overnight bags. She said that it might be useful if they had to stay at a hotel. "We might have to stay in Michigan longer than we think," she pointed out. "We'll want to change our clothes."

Finally, they were ready to leave the next day. Because it would be a nearly four-hour flight, they had to leave at three o'clock so that they could be early for their flight, which would take off at six thirty-five.

When it was time for Alice and the others to go, Carlisle and I said good-bye to them and embraced them as if it would be the last time we would would ever be able to do so.

"Have a safe journey!" I called out to them as they were about to step into their vehicles.

"Be careful and look out for each other!" Carlisle added. "If you smell Edward's scent anywhere, call me immediately. And don't forget my instructions. Do you understand?"

Emmett smiled and waved. "Don't worry, Pop! We will!" he yelled.

"We love you!" Alice and Rosalie shouted.

"Love you too!" Carlisle and I returned.

Jasper grinned. "We'll be back sooner than you know it."

Carlisle snickered. "I hope so."

Everyone stepped into their vehicles and drove away. Once their cars had disappeared through the trees, Carlisle and I went inside the mansion.

"It's going to be quiet without them around," I noted wistfully.

"You say that as if it was a terrible thing," Carlisle murmured with a smirk.

"No. I'm just going to miss them a little, is all. I hope that they'll be okay."

Patting my back, Carlisle whispered, "I'll miss them too, and I'm positive that they will be. I wouldn't have been very optimistic if I hadn't suggested to Alice that Emmett and Rosalie should go with her and Jasper, however." He slapped his palms together. "On the other hand, at least we have the house to ourselves for a bit."

I had to laugh. "That's true. What are we going to do all by ourselves?"

"Oh, I have a quite a few ideas. Do you have to go home later?"

"Yes, but not for long. Charlie's working another night shift, so I have to make his dinner before he leaves. After that, you could bring me back here, we can do whatever we want. Charlie won't mind."

He eyed me quizzically. "Are you certain that he won't?"

I bobbed my head. "Of course, I am. I wouldn't come back if I wasn't."

We spent the next couple of hours planning on what we would do over the next two days. At five fifteen, I left to cook Charlie's dinner.

After serving him his meal, I returned to the mansion. Carlisle surprised me by having fixed my own dinner.

"This looks good, babe. Thank you!" I exclaimed, inspecting the kielbasa sausage Jambalaya that he had made.

"I only hope that it _tastes_ good," he remarked with a grimace. "I haven't had much practice when it comes to cooking."

"Well, I don't think that it tastes as bad as you're afraid that it does," I assured.

Much to his relief, the Jambalaya was delicious. It had just the right amount of seasoning. "You should cook more often. This is wonderful," I commented.

Carlisle gave a tiny grin. "Thank you, my dear. I'm pleased that you like it."

Once I had finished eating, we played a few games before heading upstairs to his room.

Hours later, while he and I were each reading a novel, his cell phone rang. Carlisle took it out of his pocket and answered it.

"Hello, Alice," he greeted. "Are you in Lansing, now?" He paused for a brief second. "Excellent. Are you all okay? Did you have a safe flight?" Another pause. "That's good. Call me with an update or if you need anything. Good luck...I love you all too...Good-bye, sweetie."

Then he hung up and put the phone on his side-table drawer.

Pretty soon, I grew tired and put the book that I was reading away. Carlisle noticed and did the same thing.

As I buried myself under the covers, he pulled me close. "Good-night, darling," he murmured, kissing my pulse point.

"Mmm. Night, Carlisle," I whispered, holding my head higher to give him better access to my throat. He laid smooches all over my neck.

It didn't take long for either of us to become aroused. Carlisle ground into me, his erect cock rubbing against my hip. Our breathing grew shallow.

"Isabella," he hissed, sliding an arm around my waist. "I need to be inside you."

Trailing my fingers down his bare chest, I mumbled, "And you have me."

Carlisle kissed me deeply before tearing off my pajamas. Then he removed his boxers before hovering over me.

Just before he could enter me, however, I shook my head. "No. I want to fuck you," I stated.

So he laid down instead. I climbed on top of him, then straddled his legs and slid onto him with a moan. He grasped my waist as I began to ride him.

We made love all night long.

(Next day)

I woke up to the sound of Carlisle's voice the following morning. At first, I thought that he was talking to me, but when I opened an eye, I saw that he was speaking to someone on the phone.

"...do you mean you haven't smelled Edward or Tanya's scents anywhere on the state's lower peninsula? The letters clearly said that they came from there...They were never in Michigan?...Well, have you found the people who sent them to her?...You found the postal worker who had delivered them to Forks, but the scent of the person who mailed it is six days old, and he or she isn't there? I see...Have you checked the state's upper peninsula yet? Oh okay. Do you know when you be able to get there? Tonight. That's good...Everything is fine here. Isabella has just woken up...I'll be expecting your call then...I love you too, Rosalie. Good-bye."

Carlisle pressed the end button and turned around. He looked confused and disturbed, but smiled somewhat at me. "Good morning, love. How are you feeling?" he queried.

I shrugged. "I feel great," I responded with a croaky voice. "But that's your doing."

He laughed loudly. "Oh, really? You're welcome, then."

I slapped his arm lightly before sitting up. "What was the phone call about?"

Carlisle ran his palm over his face. "It appears that Edward and Tanya may have never gone to Michigan at all. The person who has mailed your letters turned out to be in Grand Rapids, as well as the postal worker. However, the scent of the person who mailed you is six days old, so they have no idea where he or she is. And if they cannot find that person, I don't know what more we can do. There would be no telling where he or she is."

"And Alice still can't see Edward or Tanya?"

"No. I'm afraid not."

Sighing, I buried my face in my hands. This was making me crazy. "I guess that we'll have to wait until Alice sees him."

"Unfortunately, you may be right about that."

After a while, I took a shower and got dressed. "I should be back in less than an hour. I'm just going to see if there's any mail at my house."

Carlisle nodded. "Hurry back, my dear."

I kissed him before leaving the mansion and stepping into my truck. Charlie's police cruiser was in the driveway, signalling that he was home.

When I entered the house, I heard him snoring, so I tried to be quiet so as not to wake him up. I fixed him two sandwiches, jotted a note telling him that I had done so, and that I would call him later. After putting the sandwiches in the refrigerator, I went outside and opened the mailbox.

There was only one letter in it, and it was for me. I looked it over; this one had no return address either, but the stamp still said Michigan. Whoever mailed it must have sent it before he or she left Grand Rapids. I tore it open and pulled out a card. This one was of the poem Annabell Lee that I saw in the book Nevermore by Edgar Allan Poe, except that it was titled "Isabella Marie."

Why in the fuck would Edward tell the person my name!?

_It was many and many a year ago,_  
_ In a kingdom by the sea,_  
_ That a maiden there lived whom you may know_  
_ By the name of Isabella Marie;_  
_ And this maiden she lived with no other thought_  
_ Than to love and be loved by me._

_ I was a child and she was a child,_  
_ In this kingdom by the sea;_  
_ But we loved with a love that was more than love-_  
_ I and my Isabella Marie;_  
_ With a love that the wingèd seraphs of heaven_  
_ Coveted her and me._

_ And this was the reason that, long ago,_  
_ In this kingdom by the sea,_  
_ A wind blew out of a cloud, chilling_  
_ My beautiful Isabella Marie;_  
_ So that her highborn kinsman came_  
_ And bore her away from me,_  
_ To shut her up in a sepulchre_  
_ In this kingdom by the sea._

_ The angels, not half so happy in heaven,_  
_ Went envying her and me-_  
_ Yes!- that was the reason (as all men know,_  
_ In this kingdom by the sea)_  
_ That the wind came out of the cloud by night,_  
_ Chilling and killing my Isabella Marie._

_ But our love it was stronger by far than the love_  
_ Of those who were older than we-_  
_ Of many far wiser than we-_  
_ And neither the angels in heaven above,_  
_ Nor the demons down under the sea,_  
_ Can ever dissever my soul from the soul_  
_ Of the beautiful Isabella Marie._

_ For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams_  
_ Of the beautiful Isabella Marie;_  
_ And the stars never rise but I feel the bright eyes_  
_ Of the beautiful Isabella Marie;_  
_ And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side_  
_ Of my darling- my darling- my life and my bride,_  
_ In the sepulchre there by the sea,_  
_ In her tomb by the sounding sea._

By the time I had reached the end of the poem, I was fuming. I wanted to tear the mailbox off of the wall, hurl it across the street, and scream Edward's name in rage. However, if I did that, I would awaken Charlie and then have to explain why I was disturbing the peace. I haven't told him about this yet, and didn't understand how I could without mentioning that Edward-and not to mention that Carlisle and the rest of the family-were vampires. That idea of it was hilarious.

I put my head in my arms and calmed myself before getting in my truck again. Twenty minutes later, I was back at Carlisle's. The said person was waiting for me in the garage.

The burning anger that lingered inside of me must have shown in my expression because he frowned in concern. "What is the matter, love?" he inquired.

Without a word, I brandished the letter at him. Carlisle took it gently. As he read the poem, his scowl grew deeper and more profound. His eyes turned as black as pitch so fast that I jumped.

"That scheming motherfu-...he must have had this mailed before having the person that sent this leave Michigan. His or her aroma, along with the postal workers' and the mailman's, are on the envelope," he growled lowly. He took out his cell phone and dialed a number. "Hello? Alice? Oh, you saw this already...Yes, that is what I figured...Let the others know what has happened...Thank you...Call me after your search in the upper peninsula...Good-bye, love you too."

After hanging up, he shoved the phone and the letter in his pocket. "Let's go, Isabella," he declared, holding out his hand. I took it and followed him to the living room.

I sat on the couch, but Carlisle did not join me. Instead, he paced back and forth, deep in thought. I kept silent, knowing that he would be exasperated if his inner monologue was brought up short.

Minutes later, he came to a halt, nodding to himself. "Isabella. I need you to do me a favor, if you please," he announced.

"Yes?" I questioned.

Carlisle began to pace once more. "I would like for you to call Jacob right now and deliver a message for me. Tell him that it would be advisable to be on the lookout for Edward. He's not in Michigan, and therefore, we don't know where he is, so he may come back here. I don't know if he'll come close to their boundary line, but we are better safe than sorry. Tell him that if he and the pack comes across his scent, do not hesitate to call you _immediately_. Would you do that for me, please?"

"Sure," I replied, taking out my on cell phone. Jacob answered on the fourth ring.

"Hi Bella," he half-shouted.

"Hey, Jake. Are you busy?"

"No, why? Did something happen? Did Alice and the others find...Edward?" I had told him that they were going to search for Edward.

"No, but I received another letter this morning. Alice found the scent of the person who mailed it, but he or she left Grand Rapids-where the person was-after sending it."

There was a pause. "What about...Edward...and that bitch's scents?"

"They haven't smell them in Michigan's lower peninsula, and if they don't find them anywhere in the upper peninsula, then we're stumped. Alice still can't see him, so it would be almost impossible to find him without any leads, which brings me to the reason why I'm calling you."

"And...? What is it?"

I took a deep breath. "Carlisle believes that you should watch for Edward. If you smell his scent anywhere near your line, please call me right away so that I can let him know. Please?" I begged, hoping that he would agree with his warning.

Jacob was quiet, then replied, "Okay, no problem. Thanks for the heads-up."

I sighed in relief. "Don't mention it. I'll see you soon?"

"Of course. Bye, Bella. Call me when you hear more news."

"Don't worry, I plan to. Bye, Jacob."

There was a click on his side, and I pushed the end button. I turned to Carlisle and grinned a little. "He says he'll do it."

He pursed his lips. "Good. And now, I have something to ask you."

I cocked my head to the side. "What is it?"

"I need to look after and take of yourself. For the time being, I would prefer it if you didn't go anywhere alone. If you have to go to Port Angeles or Seattle, have Alice or Jacob accompany you if I'm at work. But if you do go somewhere by yourself, use extreme caution and watch your surroundings. Never go in an alleyway or any other place where there is no one around. Use the highway and stick to people. I love you with everything that I am, and if something happens to you, I swear that I shall lose it. All right, sweetheart?"

I nodded. "Yes, Carlisle. I understand."

He kissed my forehead. "Thank you, my dear. All I want is for you to be safe."

Embracing him tightly, I whispered, "I know, baby. I know."

No one had called until one o'clock the next morning. I had fallen asleep long before then, but I woke up when I heard Carlisle's phone ring.

"Hello?...You've traveled all over the Upper Peninsula? Have you found his or Tanya's scents? Or the person who mailed Isabella the letters?" he asked.

I did not hear a response, but they must not have discovered them because Carlisle pinched the bridge of his nose and groaned. "I see. No, it's fine. Thank you for doing this for me...You'll be in Forks by five o'clock tomorrow morning? All right, I'll see you then. Give the others my love...Good-bye, Jasper."

"They didn't find them?" I grunted.

He stroked my hair. "No. There wasn't a trace of Edward, Tanya, or the person who sent your mail anywhere on the Upper Peninsula." He exhaled deeply. "I have no idea of what to do now. Tracing Edward and Tanya's phone calls are impossible. They had to have purchased new ones."

I clutched his arm gently. "Don't worry, Carlisle. Perhaps we'll find them sooner than we think."

"We can only hope that we will, my dear."

XXX

Disappointment and frustration was rolling through the air when I woke up at Carlisle's house the morning after next. I went to the living room to find Alice, Jasper, Emmett, and Rosalie slumped on the furniture. Carlisle was there too, speaking softly to them in a comforting voice. When I approached them, however, they turned to me.

"Hi Bella," Alice murmured tiredly, standing up to give me a hug.

"Hey. I'm sorry that you guys couldn't find them," I sighed.

She rubbed my back, and we perched on the sofa. "It's not your fault that we didn't. But this isn't right! I was so certain that we would find them in Michigan."

It was then I realized something that I hadn't realized before. "Edward knew. He must have known that you would try to find him there, if he is the one who had those letters mailed to me. And if so, he wasn't going to make it easy for you to locate him. Edward must be farther away from Michigan than we had suspected, to make sure that he wasn't found."

Everyone stared at me with dawning comprehension.

"Of course," Jasper whispered. "_Of course_! Bella is right. Unfortunately, however, this discovery doesn't help us. How the hell will we find them if we don't know where to look?"

"We could track him on foot," Emmett suggested.

"But none of us are good at tracking," Rosalie pointed out.

Alice huffed. "Well, we have to do _something_. We can't just sit here and wait for Edward to attack us, if that's what he is planning to do."

Carlisle raised his hands. "Settle down, everybody. Bickering will get us nowhere. I'm certain that we can reach a decision that we will all agree on."

It seemed like quite a long time before anyone could. Emmett still believed that they should track Edward down, but Alice and Carlisle told him that it would be more favorable if they remained in Forks. Everyone would be able to keep a close eye on me in case something happened; my safety was their main priority, as well as Charlie's. I didn't want him to get involved with this. If someone has to hunt, one of the others can take their place in scoping the outskirts of the town. This meant that I would spend less time with Carlisle for now, even though he would keep me company for more than half of it, but it was for the best. When they weren't hunting, I would spend some days with Alice, Emmett, or Jacob if Carlisle was unavailable.

"It would be preferable if Isabella goes to La Push more often for the time being. Edward wouldn't be imprudent enough to break the treaty," Carlisle concluded.

Emmett saw that they were right and agreed with them, and so did Jasper and Rosalie.

"What will we do if Edward does show up?" Rosalie demanded.

Carlisle frowned pensively. "I don't want us to have to fight him unless it is strictly necessary, which I pray doesn't happen at all. However, that may be the only other option for us, if Edward refuses to speak to us rationally and above-board. You know he chooses not to when he feels threatened or provoked, so don't get him a reason to began an argument which could turn in an all-out riot. And while this is happening, one or two of us has to protect Isabella. I don't want Edward to harm her in any way possible, be it physically, mentally, or psychologically."

Everybody else inclined their heads.

"That's a wise idea," Jasper mumbled, stroking his chin thoughtfully.

"Yeah, it is," Emmett coincided.

"I'm all for it," Rosalie added.

"Me too," Alice proclaimed.

XXX

For the rest of the week, I volunteered to spend my days and afternoons with Jacob. Because he patrolled the Quileute boundary at night, I didn't have to be left alone while his friends were on duty. There wasn't much for us to do, other than hanging out in his garage and strolling along or swimming at the beach. We made the best of it though, since after a few weeks, I wouldn't be coming back for quite some time.

The story was different when it came to Carlisle and my family. I didn't get to see them much during the evenings that week, although they would pop in and check on me at my house every once in a while. I was lucky that I spend three nights with him that week; after work, he would drop his medical bag off at the mansion before starting his guard duties. He was often the stand-in for the others, who had to hunt at least twice a week, which was why I could only see him for three nights. I missed him, and the others, but it didn't matter much. I would be able to see them almost all of the time when we moved to Alaska, even if I couldn't be changed into a vampire.

In the beginning, my family, Jacob, and his pack took to their duties eagerly enough. However, by the middle of the next week, the zest in their search had started to diminish a bit.

Thankfully, no more mysterious letters had arrived, but everybody was still cautious.

Meanwhile, the weather had began to grow slightly cooler. September would be starting in only a couple of days, which meant that I would be in town for only five more.

"I can't believe that it's almost time for you to leave already," Jacob groaned while he was fixing Paul's Honda.

"I know. I'm going to miss you, and Charlie, and your friends so much," I sighed.

He smirked. "The next time I'll see you, you'll probably be a vampire, huh?" he teased halfheartedly.

I chuckled. "Maybe. Sam hasn't decided anything yet."

"No, but I'm sure that he will before you leave next week. Hey, that reminds me. My friends and I are having a party slash bonfire on Sunday evening, and you're invited. Do you want to come? We have to do something fun on your last night in town."

"Sure, I'll come. A party doesn't sound too bad. Just don't expect me to dance or anything."

"Ha ha. I won't."

On Saturday, Charlie and I had one last dinner together at the Lodge. We were originally going to have it the next day, but we changed our plans after I told him about the party. He was surprised that I was going at all, knowing that I _hated_ them.

"Do you have everything packed? Your clothes and other personal belongings?" Charlie inquired as we were eating.

I bobbed my head. "Yeah, but I have to get a new backpack in Seattle before I go to the party tomorrow. One with wheels that you can drag behind you," I replied.

Charlie grunted. "Oh okay. Be careful out there."

_With my family and werewolves protecting me I don't have much choice but to,_ I thought. "I will, Dad."

We continued to eat before he spoke again.

"It's going to be much quieter without you around, Bella. And goodness knows, I probably won't have a decent meal at home for a good bit. What am I going to do without you?" Charlie queried.

"You'll manage, Dad. Just don't burn the house down if you can help it," I joked.

He and I shared a laugh.

Once we had finished our dinner, we left the restaurant and drove home. Carlisle was lying on my bed, reading a newspaper, but glanced at me as I entered the room. It was mostly bare now except for the bed, my lamps, and the desk, which would remain here.

"You're not on duty tonight?" I whispered to him in a optimistic voice.

Carlisle shook his head. "No. Alice and the others are patrolling the edge of Seattle tonight. She said that you were planning to buy a book bag there?" he hissed.

"Mm-hmm, but I'll be back in time for Jacob's party. I won't stay long, though, since we have to get an early start on Monday." I sighed sadly. "I'm really going to miss everybody."

Carlisle hugged me. "I know you will, sweetheart. But we will be able to come back someday, and you can see you father again."

I buried my face in his chest. "I hope that I can. It would break my heart if I could never see him again because I couldn't control my thirst."

He kissed the top of my head. "It will be all right, in the end. You shall see. Will you be going to Seattle by yourself?"

"Yes, but I might bring Jacob with me if he isn't involved in planning the bonfire and the party."

"Well, if you go to Seattle alone, remember what I told you. Do not use alleyways or walk through places that are devoid or people."

"I haven't forgotten, babe. Don't worry."

I kissed him on the lips and snuggled into him.

(The Following Morning)

Carlisle was already left for the hospital when I woke up the next day. I slunk out of bed and took a shower, then had a quiet breakfast with Charlie. After I had finished putting our plates and cups in the dishwasher, I called Jacob.

"Hey, it's me," I remarked when he answered the phone.

"Oh, hi Bella. What's up? Did they find the scumbag or the slut yet?" Jacob questioned.

I snorted. "I wish that they did. I was only calling to see if you were involved in the party planning."

"Yeah, I am. I have to drive to Hoquiam soon to buy some stuff and set up a few things. Why?"

"Because I was going to Seattle to buy something and I wanted to know if you could come along. It looks like your hands are full, though, so never mind. I'll be okay."

Jacob was dubious. "Are you sure? I can get someone else to..."

"No, no! It's fine. I'm just going to buy one thing, and then I'll be back in time for the party."

He sighed. "If you say so. Where are Alice and the others patrolling today?"

"Port Angeles."

"Oh, all right. I'll see you later then, Bella."

"All right, Jake. Bye."

"Bye."

I put the phone on the receiver, then went to check the mailbox. It was empty.

Because there was nothing else for me to do, I relaxed in my bedroom and watched movies until three thirty. I grabbed my keys and purse, then left my bedroom.

"Hey, Dad! I'll see you after the party!" I called to Charlie.

"Okay, Bella. Have fun!" he shouted back.

"I'll try to."

After saying this, I walked out of the house and stepped into my Chevrolet. When the engine roared to life, I backed out of the driveway and sped down the street.

The highway was filled with a good amount of vehicles this late in the day. Traffic wasn't bad, but it was still a little more than two hours when I reached the city.

It took another fifteen minutes to get to the store that I wanted to go to. I parked the truck, then went inside.

The shop was full of people who were buying school supplies at the last minute. I strolled through the aisles until I found the backpacks, lifted one that had wheels off of the shelf, and waited in line. When it was finally my turn, I paid for the book bag.

"Have a wonderful evening," the cashier smiled enthusiastically.

"Thanks," I muttered, leaving the store.

When I climbed into my truck, I laid the backpack on the floor under the seat next to me. Pretty soon, I was driving through and out of Seattle.

This time, the highway seemed much emptier. There were barely any vehicles in front of me going in my direction, and none at all behind me. It seemed odd, but I waved it off. I was just being paranoid. Instead, I thought about the stuff that there would be to do at the party that Jacob and his friends were throwing.

I had just cruised around a bend in the road when I saw a road worker holding up a stop. I immediately screeched to a halt. The man approached me, and I rolled down my window.

"What's the problem?" I inquired.

"The road is closed a few feet away. There was a major accident," he responded, leering at me in a frighteningly evil way. I suddenly felt uncomfortable. "Go to the nearest exit and use the other road until you get to Port Angeles. You can get back on the highway there."

I nodded and rolled the window shut as quickly as possible. I sped away, hoping that it wouldn't take too long to get to the bonfire.

As instructed, I drove to the next exit and coasted down the ramp. The streetlight at the end of the road turned yellow, then red. I stopped again.

What occurred after that happened so fast that everything was a blur. The door next to me was thrown open, and before I could do more than turn around, I was seized by a two pairs of strong hands. I was blindfolded and gagged, then slung onto a hard surface that I could not see. Then I felt someone tying my wrists and ankles together with a rope, and heard a door slam.

By this time, the shock had worn off and I screamed as loud as I could. However, my voice was muffled. No one would be able to hear me.

The floor shifted and I rolled into something; I must have been in a van. I struggled to free my arms and legs, but it was useless. The rope was tied too tightly.

Just then, I remembered Alice and called to her through my mind, telling her to bring help.

Either she couldn't see me, or didn't know where I was, because nothing happened as I was driven to who-knows-where. Fear welled up inside of me. Why couldn't Alice hear me? Was I about to die, and my future had gone blank? Or did she think that I was with Jacob? I prayed that it wasn't the first reason. I didn't want to die! What would my Mom and Phil and Charlie do if I turned up missing, and didn't find me until it was entirely too late? Jacob would go crazy, I knew. And when Carlisle found out that I was killed, he would destroy himself! Alice, Jasper, Emmett, and Rosalie would be heartbroken after losing two more pieces to our family. It hurt them bad enough when Edward had left us.

I bowed my head and wept stormily. I never wanted it to end like this for me, for my family.

In what seemed like days, even though I knew it was only a short time, I felt the vehicle come to a stop. I heard the door open and someone pulled me. My wrist and ankles were untied, and the blindfold was removed, but the person covered my eyes right away. He or she didn't remove my gag.

I kicked, squirmed, and hollered, trying to make him or her let me go. Nevertheless, the person was stronger and hoisted me over their shoulder as if I was nothing but a sack of chicken feathers. I felt him or her run a considerable distance and pause. Another door opened and I was thrown into another vehicle. The person removed the gag before closing the door.

I opened my eyes and took in my surroundings. I was inside of an expensive car, which was in the middle of an unrecognizable forest.

"Hello, Bella," a deep, dark, but familiar voice murmured next to me.

I pivoted, then gasped as I stared at its owner.

(A/N:** PLEASE, PLEASE, _PLEASE_ REVIEW AND TELL ME YOUR OPINIONS!** My, that was a chapter, wasn't it? I'll post the new chapter, by next Friday or Saturday at the latest. I promise. I know that you can't wait to see what happens next!)


	8. How Could He Do This To Me?

(A/N: Rated M for graphic, brutal abuse and rape. On the part before and after Edward forces her, I write put two **bold** sentences so that you don't have to read it if you don't think that you can read it. But if you think that you can stomach it, you can read it.)

Edward was sitting beside me in the driver's seat. He looked the same as he had almost three months ago, although I had not expected him to different. He still had gold eyes and unruly copper-colored hair. He was wearing a gray pullover hoodie and jeans.

Just staring at him brought back the feelings rage and betrayal I had experienced when I caught him cheating on me with that slimy slut. I reached for the door handle; I had no intention of speaking to him. Fuck him!

However, as I touched the handle, there was a loud click.

I was locked in.

"Wait a minute, Bella. We need to talk," Edward stated.

"We don't have shit to talk about," I snapped, scowling fiercely at him. "Why don't you just go back to Tanya? She's waiting for you. Let me out. _Now_."

He shook his head. "No. I won't let you go until I explain a few things to you and apologize."

"Fuck your apology! You can shove it up your ass! Do you think that sorry and all of the love letters in the world can make me forget that you cheated on me? What you did was unforgivable and inexcusable! Just leave me alone, you psychopathic creep!"

Sighing and pinching the bridge of his nose, Edward pleaded, "Bella, just let me explain. You have every reason to be furious with me, and I don't blame you for feeling that way. Just give me fifteen minutes. That's all I'm asking for. I won't let you out until you agree."

I eyed him shrewdly for a long moment. He looked as if he meant what he said. "Fine," I conceded grudgingly. "But fifteen minutes only. I don't have all night. I have a party to get to, and I don't want to be late! Do you understand?"

Edward nodded. "Yes. Oh, and I brought you a chocolate milkshake. Here...you can drink it while we talk." He held it out.

I snatched it from him, but didn't drink it. I wasn't stupid; I knew that he had probably spiked it or something.

"Taste it," Edward smiled. "It is extra thick, just how you like it."

"Okay, okay. Just talk and have this conversation over with," I muttered. I sipped from the straw until the liquid touched my lips, but I didn't let it enter my mouth. Then I pretended to swallow it.

Edward exhaled deeply. "Well...you're right. I did have those letters sent to you through a connection in Montana, who had a friend in Grand Rapids. My connection instructed his friend to mail those love poems and the rose to you. I knew that you or my family would eventually realize that I was behind all of this and come searching for me. But I had my connection mail airline tickets to his friend, who left six days before Alice and the others arrived. To be honest, I was surprised that he got away before they did. I believed that either they or Carlisle would come sooner."

"Well, if you think that your love poems worked, then you are dead wrong," I huffed.

"But I hoped that they would work when you found that I had them sent to you as a form of an apology," he murmured.

I chuckled mirthlessly, shaking my head. "If you did, then you truly _are_ crazy. The only thing it did was make me even more angry with you for thinking that you could win back my affections. And speaking of which, why the hell did you have your connection tell his friend my name?"

Edward pursed his lips. "It was one of my plans to try to bring us back together."

"And it has come to nothing." My patience with this dickhead had worn exceedingly thin by this time. I wanted to go _home_. When was he going to let me out of this stuffy-ass car?

He exhaled again. "Which brings me to my last-chance apology..."

"I don't want to hear it, Edward..."

"Please," Edward begged, taking my arm as I went to unlock the door. "Listen to me. I know that you don't want to or care to, but please...hear me out. I had you brought here so that I could apologize, and followed the person who brought you to me so that Alice wouldn't see us. I wanted to speak to you in private."

"Have you lost your mind!? Why would you do something like this to me? Let me go!"

"I said that I won't until I-"

"FINE! APOLOGIZE! JUST GET YOUR HAND OFF OF ME!" I shouted in his face.

He backed away and ran his fingers through his hair. "I don't have anything to say but that it was not entirely my fault," he began a minute later. "Tanya had seduced me. I tried to explain to her that I was not attracted to her, and that I loved you. I tried to resist her advances. However, she ignored me, and when I attempted to brush her off politely, she kissed me. Her hands were all over me, and before I knew it, I was touching her as well, and then we were having sex. It was not until you caught us that I realized what I was doing. I have regretted it ever since. Bella...I'm sorry. I know that you don't want to hear that, and I know that you don't believe me, but it is true. I'm sorry, and I want us to get back together. The incident with Tanya was a one-time thing, I promise. I love you, with all of my heart and soul, and I swear that I'll never fail you again."

Edward looked me straight in the eyes as he said this. It seemed like he was being truthful...and yet, something was off. His sincerity and devotion did not reach his eyes. In addition to that, I felt dazzled. When I had come to the conclusion that he was attempting to work his charm on me, I glared at him hatefully. He couldn't be serious! He had to be kidding! Did he really think that I was affected by his spell!?

I put my foot down right then and there. "You're a rotten liar, Edward Anthony Masen Jr. Even if you were telling the truth, I wouldn't take you back. Alice told me that you were with Tanya for the past two months. Just because she can't see you or Tanya when you're around her, does not mean that she can't when you're not. Alice saw that Tanya was waiting for you to go back to her. And above all, Carlisle is my soul mate, and that is something that you'll have to accept. Let me out _now_, and after you do, just stay the fuck away from me! _Forever_!" I hissed.

Suddenly, Edward grabbed me, squeezing my arm until there was no question that it was bruised. I whimpered and tried to pull away, but he tightened his grip.

I threw the chocolate milkshake that I was still holding in my other hand at him. He caught it, but it splattered all over his face and gray hoodie. He let go off me to wipe it off, and I took my chance to escape.

I unlocked the door in a rush and bolted out of the vehicle. Unfortunately, I had only ran eleven paces when I felt Edward yank me up into his arms.

"GET OFF OF ME, YOU PSYCHOPATH! LET ME GO!" I yelled, struggling as he dragged me back to the car. "GET OFF OF ME!"

Edward threw me onto the passenger seat, then closed and locked the door again. Before I could even lay my hands on the lock switch, he was behind me.

He turned me around, snatched me up by the collar, and WHAM! He punched me in the eye. The force of the blow sent my head plowing into the window, which thankfully didn't crack or shatter. Then he seized my legs and pulled me over to him. I was too dazed to make a sound or move.

"YOU WHORE!" Edward growled, hovering over me. His face was contorted in fury. "I _love_ you! I _apologized_ to you from the bottom of my heart, and you call me a liar!? I would never, ever lie to you! You're just angry because I had cheated on you! You're jealous because I didn't fuck you first!"

He tugged off my shirt and bra so roughly that I was vaguely surprised that he had kept them both intact. After that, he held my arms over my head before tying my wrists with a rope. It bit into my skin, causing me to wince. Then he tied the rope onto something above me. "You say that I never touched you? You tell me that I never gave you the time of day? I shall give you what you had been wanting!"

"NO!" I hollered, trying to squirm away from him even though I knew it was useless. But I would never be able to look anyone in the eye-especially Carlisle and myself-if I didn't make an effort to resist him. "DON'T DO THIS! PLEASE!"

Edward ignored me and slid my jeans and panties off. Then he sat up and undid his trousers in a flash. When he had removed his boxers, he thrusted his penis into my face. "Look at that, _Isabella_. It is just as impressive as Carlisle's, isn't it?" he smirked proudly. He shifted downwards and positioned himself at my entrance.

"No...no...please...no," I wept.

***If you are sensitive to reading rape scenes, stop here please. Look for the next bold section.***

Paying no heed to my pleas, Edward grinned before slamming into me.

I cried out in pain. Even though I wasn't a virgin, his entrance hurt in a way that I couldn't believe. "DON'T DO THIS!" I bellowed once more.

"SHUT UP! You _want_ this! You _know_ that you do! Don't lie and tell me that you don't!" he snapped, thrusting his hips roughly into mine. I screamed for him to stop, but he covered my mouth with his hand.

"NO! CARLISLE! CARLISLE! ALICE!" I shouted into his palm. My voice was muffled, but I prayed that she could still see me. "ALICE! EMMETT! JASPER! ROSALIE! JACOB! SOMEBODY _PLEASE_ HELP ME!"

Edward continued to pound into me, groaning in pleasure. I closed my eyes so that I wouldn't have to see him, but he caught onto my motive and forced them open.

"You look at Carlisle when he's fucking you, so you're going to look at me too. You _will_ see what you do to me _Isabella_. You will see how good you make me feel!" He thrusted into me harder. "I understand now why Carlisle loves to fuck you so much. You feel so good, baby." He dipped his head and licked my nipples.

_HELP ME, ALICE! PLEASE HELP ME!_ I yelled in my head, tears rolling down to the back of my neck.

Time passed, but no one came. Why did nobody come? Couldn't Alice see what was happening? Couldn't see hear what was going on? I called to her over and over, but it was pointless.

Edward removed his hand from my mouth and kissed me harshly. He forced his tongue past my lips, moaning as it clashed with mine. He explored my mouth, roving his tongue all over my teeth and cheeks. I gagged as he tried to shove it down my throat. When he drew back, I spat on his face. Bad idea.

"BITCH! HOW _DARE_ YOU!" he bellowed, slapping me in the face when he said "dare." He hit me so hard that I was abruptly gazing at the vehicle's clock, but I could barely see it. Bright yellow dots had popped into my vision. He gripped my chin to make me look at him again and closed his hand around my throat. I choked, gasping for air. "IF YOU _EVER_ DO THAT AGAIN, I'LL DO MORE THAN SLAP YOU! WHEN I KISS YOU, I EXPECT YOU TO KISS ME BACK!"

He kissed me again, just as roughly as before. I tried to turn my head away, but this fueled his rage. "THAT'S IT! YOU ASKED FOR IT!" he shouted.

And Edward punched me repeatedly in the stomach, on my arms, and my legs. I was relieved that he didn't break any bones. "KISS ME!" he hollered, still striking me.

"NO! GO TO HELL!" I screamed in agony.

He choked me again. "I said-" He slapped me. "-kiss me-" _SMACK!_ "-you slut! KISS ME!" _SMACK!_

I sobbed. "No," I whimpered.

Edward's eyes flashed, and suddenly he smiled. "Fine. Don't. I can see that you like it better when I fuck you."

I shook my head desperately. "No...please...no...!"

"Shut up!" he hissed. He gripped my wrists tightly and slammed into me over and over. The pain between my legs was excruciating. I yelled, and he covered my mouth again.

"Oh yes..._yes_...I can't believe that I put this off for so long, Isabella...See what you do to me, baby? See how good you make me feel?...Oh yes...fuck...Ohhhhhh, Isabella...I'm going to-" Edward moaned, his teeth clenched. He pulled out of me, and I felt his cold semen shoot onto my belly and thighs. Next, he thrusted his penis in my face once more. "Clean me off."

"No way, you fucking-oomph!" I gagged as he shoved it into my mouth.

Edward scowled at me. "Do as I say! Lick off the rest of my cum..." When I remained still, he pinched me. "Lick. It. Off. Now swallow it."

I thought that he was done with me after he pulled himself out of my mouth, but I was wrong. Just when I believed that I was going to vomit, he flipped me over and shoved his penis into my ass.

I bellowed in agony. "STOP!"

He tugged my hair until my scalp felt as if it were on fire. "Be quiet. I know you like getting fucked in the ass, so don't pretend as if it hurts you!"

Edward grasped my shoulders and pounded in and out of my ass at moderate speed. I begged and pleaded for him to let me go, but he wouldn't listen to me. He continued to hurt me, grunting as thrusted into me.

"Oh, I love you, baby," he whispered, quickening his pace. "Tell me that you love me. Tell me that you love me, Isabella."

I didn't. I just yelled for him to get off of me. I was grateful when he didn't persuade me, hit me, or both.

"It's all right. I will have you saying it soon enough."

As if there was a chance in hell that I would.

Minutes later, he was slamming into me, and he abruptly withdrew his penis from my ass. His icy seed sprayed onto my back. He slumped onto me, making me fall forward, and turned me over to kiss my cheek.

***Okay, the rape scene is over now!***

After a second, he put on his jeans. Then he redressed me before starting the car.

I just laid there in a stunned, horrified silence. I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe that Edward had took my body by force, raped me, and had the audacity to think that I wanted sex from him.

And all I could think was _why_?

Why did he do this to me, if he loved me so much?

Why didn't anyone save me?

Why was this allowed to happen?

More importantly, _why_ was Edward allowed to cause me this pain?

Time went by, although I wasn't quite certain how much of it did, and the vehicle slowed to a halt. Edward reached over and yanked me up so that I was sitting.

"Stop crying," he ordered, wiping away my tears impatiently. "Don't pretend that you didn't enjoy that. You liked it. You know you did. Now, listen closely. I have to go hunting. I want you to go in your house and get yourself ready for me. We're going to have another round or two. Another connection of mine has already brought you truck here, so don't worry about it being left on the side of that highway. If Carlisle comes to visit you, send him away _immediately_. Your relationship with him is over. He doesn't love you as I do. Don't believe what he or Alice said about you two being mates either. _It is a lie_. You are _mine_, Bella. Carlisle was just jealous because he didn't have anyone, and wanted to take you away from me. Well, now the tables have turned. I didn't wait for more than a hundred years to find my true love and end up with no one. I smell so much as a whiff of his scent on you, he will pay. And if I find out that you had disobeyed me, I will have you gang-raped. Then, I will let you go back to Carlisle as you wish, and we shall see how badly he will want you after you tell him what happened. I would be amazed if he didn't think that you were nothing but a selfish little whore that had brought this on herself."

Before I could yell at him, protest, or argue, he kissed me on the lips. He pressed me into him so that I couldn't squirm away. "I will see you in a few hours, Bella. Don't forget what I had told you. I love you, and I'm sorry for hitting and threatening you. I didn't mean to lose my temper."

With that, he unlocked the door. "You can get out now."

I opened and shut it gently. I glanced around. I was standing in my driveway. My truck _was_ there, but Charlie's police cruiser was gone. I wished that it was there when I needed it to be the most. I peeked into my truck's window to see if my backpack had been stolen, but it was still on the floor. I turned away and stumbled over to the house.

A horn beeped behind me. I pivoted to see Edward blowing a kiss at me and waving. Dickhead!

I didn't respond, just opened the front door, trembling with suppressed sobs. I gingerly climbed the stairs one at a time because of the ache between my thighs and butt cheeks and slipped into my almost-dark bedroom.

When I peered into my mirror to inspect the damage I had sustained, I recoiled in horror. The entire left side of my face was bruised. My eye was swollen shut, and my lip was bleeding a little. There were hand-shaped marks on my cheek that ran from my temple to my chin. In addition to that was a golf-ball sized lump on the right side of my forehead where it hit the window. My wrists had rope marks and bruises on them, as well as my arms, stomach, hips, and thighs, which were also laced with dried semen.

Just seeing myself made me cry harder. I sank onto my bed, burying my face in my pillow as I heard the sound of Edward's new car racing away into the distance.

After I was sure that Edward was miles away, I called to Alice through my head. _Alice, please...I need you. I need you so bad._

"Bella? Bella!" a wind-chime voice exclaimed not ten seconds later. I was _never_ more delighted to hear it in my life.

I felt the bed dip under me. "Bella, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" she queried in distress.

I opened my mouth, but couldn't form the words.

Alice placed her hand on my back. "Bella, what happened? Look at me." She attempted to roll me over.

"NO!" I screamed, edging away from her. "Don't look at me!"

"What do you mean? What happened? Have you been hurt? Did someone hurt you?"

I couldn't reply.

Alice was quiet for a moment. "Do you want to come over our house? Will you tell me what happened there?" she inquired.

I gulped. "Please, Alice? I don't want to stay here. I'm scared," I sobbed.

"Okay, Bella. We're going to have it taken care of. Don't worry," she reassured.

Alice scooped me up into her arms. I kept the pillow on my face. She seemed to understand because she didn't ask me to remove it.

I felt a brief rush of cool air before I was warm again. Then I heard the sound of a door shutting.

"What's the matter with her?" Jasper questioned.

"I don't know," Alice responded. Then she laid me down on a soft mattress. "Bella, move the pillow from you face." She tried to pull it away from me.

"No!" I protested, clutching it tightly.

"Bella, please," she implored.

Jasper broke into the conversation. "I'm feeding a lot of fear and pain from her, darlin'. I'm beginning to feel really worried," he mumbled.

"So am I. I don't know why she won't look at me or tell me what's wrong. I'm afraid that someone has hurt her, and she's too frightened to talk about it. This isn't like her. I wish I knew was it was or who; I can't see what happened at all. Bella, please tell us what's the matter. Give me the pillow," Alice begged.

"NO!" I hollered.

"Bella?" a gentle voice murmured to my right. It was Rosalie's. "Bella, can you look at me? Please?"

I was astonished. Rosalie never spoke to me so kindly before except once, when she told me the story of her life before her transformation. In fact, she usually didn't talk to me at all. When she did, there would be a sharp edge to her voice.

Sighing, I peeked at her with my right eye, making sure that the left side of my face was obscured.

Rosalie gave a tiny smile. "It's okay to show us your face, honey. Whatever happened to you wasn't your fault. We won't be angry with you. I promise," she remarked earnestly.

"Do you mean it?" I sniffed.

"Of course I do, sweetie."

I hesitated. Rosalie nodded in encouragement. Taking another deep breath, I sat up and slowly put the pillow down.

Alice and Rosalie gasped in dismay. Jasper and Emmett, who was in the room but hadn't spoke, hissed in fury.

"Oh, my God," Alice breathed, lightly touching the bruises on my face. Her cold fingers felt good on them.

Suddenly, her expression turned blank. "Carlisle is just about to finish his last shift. He'll be here in fifteen to twenty minutes."

Terror welled up inside me once more. There was _no way_ that I was going to let Carlisle see me like this. I went to get off of the bed, but Alice held onto me.

"No, Bella. Carlisle has a right to know this. You are his mate. You won't be able to keep this away from him forever. You _need_ to tell us what happened to you _right now_. Who did this to you? Was it Jacob? If it was, I will kill him. I swear I will-" she threatened.

"No," I interrupted, tears blurring my vision. There was no turning back now. "It wasn't Jacob. It...it was E-Edward."

Everyone froze. "Edward?" Rosalie muttered. She smelled me and drew back with a growl. She's right-I can smell his scent all over her. Why didn't we noticed it before?"

"Darlin', what did he do to you?" Jasper demanded through clenched teeth.

"Tell us," Emmett pleaded softly, kneeling beside Rosalie. He squeezed my arm reassuringly.

I swallowed thickly before explaining how I was kidnapped and taken into the woods somewhere. How Edward had confessed to engaging two people to mail the letters to me. How Edward wanted to apologize to me and my refusal to let him do so at first. Then I told them what he said to me as he apologized, and how I realized that he wasn't being honest. By the time I had gotten to the part where I tried to escape from Edward, I had started to weep inconsolably. Alice rubbed my back.

"...He grabbed me, threw me back into his car, and then he punched me in the eye so hard that I flew into the window. After that, he dragged me over to him and told me that he loved me. That he would never lie to me, and that I was angry at him for cheating on me, and jealous because he didn't have sex with me before he fucked that skank. Then he tied my hands above my head, took off our clothes and...and he..." I faltered, burying my face in my palms. "Edward raped me, vaginally, orally, and anally. And he beat me and choked me for spitting on him, or for not doing something that he told me to do. When he was finished with me, he took me home."

Finally, I told them about what Edward said about Carlisle not being my mate. I explained to them how he threatened to make Carlisle pay if he contacted me and have me gang-raped if I didn't keep away from him as well.

A mixture of fury, disbelief, horror, and sadness rolled through the air. Rosalie hugged me as I continued to cry, and Alice did too. Emmett and Jasper could only stare at me, speechless.

Seconds later, Alice cocked her head to the side. "Carlisle's home," she announced.

I began to tremble. Rosalie embraced me again. "Don't worry, Bella. This isn't your fault. He will take care of it," she whispered.

"What do you mean?" I heard Carlisle inquire.

Rosalie tilted my head with her forefinger. Tears streamed down my cheeks.

He rushed over to me. "Oh, my God! Isabella, what happened?" he demanded with a worried frown. "What happened?" he repeated when I didn't answer him.

Alice spoke up. "Edward came back, and..."

"Edward?" Carlisle murmured, turning to her. His voice was deadly calm. "He had something to do with this?"

"Yes," she replied, her eyes filling with tears. Then she told him everything that I told everyone else minutes before. "He forced himself on her," she concluded with a sob.

"HE _WHAT_!?" he hissed. He immediately started to undress me to check my body for bruises. "You don't mind, do you, sweetheart?"

I shook my head. Emmett and Jasper left to give me some privacy.

Carlisle looked over my wrists and midsection. When he removed my jeans, an ear-splitting growl of rage flew from his mouth. I cringed, and so did Alice and Rosalie.

His expression softened. "I apologize, my dear. I didn't intent to frighten you." He slid my panties off, covered me up, and took me to his office for an examination.

After laying me down onto another bed, he queried, "Would you like me to do this? Or would you prefer it if Alice and Rosalie did? I would understand if you do..."

I cut him off. "You can do it. I know that you won't hurt me."

Carlisle nodded. Before he set to work, he drew the blanket up to my waist and opened my legs. I cried as a wave of shame and humiliation engulfed me. Alice and Rosalie caressed my arms soothingly.

"Oh, my God. It almost looks as if she had been broken into." Carlisle performed the examination, shuddering with extreme anger. "That bastard raped her raw. Does your vagina and anus hurt, Isabella?"

I nodded.

A while later, he finished and redressed me. "The only thing that I can say is that you are very fortunate. If you had been a virgin when Edward did this to you, the situation would be much worse. Besides dried out skin, which I took care of, there is no damage to your vagina. And as for you anus, there is also no damage, and the pain will go away soon. Physically, you will be fine, but psychologically...I am afraid that it will take a while to recover from this. You will need to go through therapy, but this shall be done in private." He embraced me tightly. "I am going to deal with this, my love. Edward will never hurt you again. I promise," he vowed, continuing to quake.

Rosalie joined us. "You will get through this, Bella. It will take time, but you will."

I inclined my head again and wept stormily into Carlisle's chest. He, Alice, and Rosalie stroked my back comfortingly. I felt two more hands on my shoulders and knew that Emmett and Jasper had entered the office.

"It will be all right, Bella," Emmett mumbled.

"He won't get away with what he did to you," Jasper added in a threatening voice. Then his hand stiffened. "Alice, darlin', are you sure that you still can't see what happened to Bella?"

"Yes, why?" she questioned.

"Because you would have seen it by now. Whenever Bella visits Jacob, you never know what she does even after she crosses into our territory, unless she tells you. Of course, you know that she doesn't do anything with him that would make us angry with her or Jacob, or both. Do...do you think that Edward might have crossed the boundary?"

The silence the followed was deafening. I backed away from Carlisle to see that everyone had a puzzled expression on their faces.

Pursing her lips, Alice responded, "It's a definite possibility. But why would Edward do that? He knows that we would all get in trouble if we broke the treaty."

Carlisle narrowed his eyes, deep in thought. "If he did, perhaps we can ask for an acquittal and find some way to get Jacob and his friends to help us, if they agree to do this," he stated. "Isabella, I need you to call him. I have to speak to him, and I'm afraid that you will have to tell him what Edward did."

I gazed at him in fear, and he caressed my cheek. "Don't worry, sweetheart. I will help you tell Jacob, if need be. But you have to call him now before we end up in mortal danger."

I sighed deeply. Half of the mortal danger we got into seemed to be through Edward's doings. He killed Victoria's mate, James, which eventually caused her hunt me and create a newborn army to attack me and my family. Then he pushed me into a table on my birthday which nearly caused everyone in the family but Carlisle to slip and drain me. Then he almost got Alice and I murdered when we went to Volterra to stop him from being killed by the Volturi. And tonight, he raped me. When he realized that I had contacted Carlisle, what would he do to him? To Alice and the others? I already knew what he would do to me.

These reasons were more than enough for me to dread calling Jacob. What if he and his pack chose to destroy my family after they found out the Edward had indeed raped me on their lands? If they did, I will die with them. I can't live without my family, especially Carlisle. I just can't!

However, I could hope for the best, right? Maybe the situation will turn out in our favor after all.

This idea boosted my confidence somewhat, and feeling hopeful, I took my cell phone out of my pocket.

(A/N: **PLEASE REVIEW! **I know that this chapter is shorter than the last two, but I hope that you still think that it's interesting. The reason why I able to update this so quickly is because I had written most of it already. Some scenes weren't written, but they were easy to add to the story. Poor Bella! Damn Edward for what he did to her! Do you think that Jacob and his friends should side with Bella and her family? Let me know what you think! The title of the next chapter: No Crime Goes Unpunished.)


	9. No Crime Goes Unpunished!

(Warning: This chapter is graphic. Proceed with caution.)

**Carlisle's POV**

_Earlier that morning_**  
**

I had left Isabella's side to go to work earlier. It was my last day at the hospital. I was still feeling hesitant about her going to Seattle alone. But Alice and the others would be patrolling the outskirts of Port Angeles today, which was only about a minute's run from there. If anything were to happen to Isabella, it would not take long for them to find her.

I was about to call Alice to tell her to keep an eye on Isabella when my phone rang with a text message.

_Don't worry, Pop. I've got you covered :)-A_

I quickly sent a reply. _Thank you, Alice-C_

_No problem-A_

I put my phone away, then went home to change my clothes. Afterwards, I drove to the hospital.

It was a preoccupying day at Forks Community. However, even though I was busy, a feeling tugged at the back of my head. For reasons unknown, I had an inkling that something was going to go wrong. I could not shake the worry and-was it fear?-that was surging through me, and I could not understand why. After a moment, I dismissed it as anxiety over Bella's taking trip to Seattle, possibly by herself.

My lunch break and the rest of the afternoon went by almost without notice, but something still did not feel right. I texted Alice to see if Isabella was okay.

_Bella's fine. She just made it to Seattle a minute ago-A_

I grinned faintly, but I continued to feel on edge; Alice's message-oddly-did nothing to soothe me. I took a deep breath in an attempt to calm my nerves before getting back to work.

Finally, my last day was over. By then, I was even more nervous, and I could not wait to go home and make sure that Bella was all right. The unexplainable feeling that something was terribly wrong and out of place had remained, and I just needed to know that she was safe.

I headed to my boss' office to say farewell to him, and then to my supervisor's to do the same.

"Good-bye, Carlisle. We're sad to see you leave, and we're all going to miss you. You have been one of the best doctors here," my supervisor proclaimed.

"Thank you," I murmured before leaving the office. I said good-bye to my friends and co-workers after that and strolled out of the hospital. As I drove away from it, I turned to peer at it one more time. It may not be there in the future, and if it was, it would probably look different.

I was coasting up my driveway when I smelled Isabella's strawberry and freesia aroma. I was relieved and a bit surprised. She told me that she would return from the bonfire early, but I was not expecting her to come to the mansion.

"Carlisle's home," I heard Alice declare in her room as I parked in the garage.

Second's later, I heard Rosalie's voice. "Don't worry, Bella. This isn't your fault. He will take care of it," she stated quietly.

I ghosted upstairs to see Isabella sitting next to her on Alice's bed. Alice, Emmett, and Jasper were also in the bedroom. "What do you mean?" I queried to Rosalie.

She placed her finger under Isabella's chin and lifted her head with her finger. As soon as I gazed at her face, which were moist with tear, my heart broke.

Her left eye was bruised and swollen shut. Her left cheek had purplish-black hand prints on it from her chin to her hairline. There was a knot on the right side of her forehead that was the size of a golf ball. Dried blood was on her lip, and there were bruises all over her arms and wrists.

I dashed to her. "Oh, my God! Isabella, what happened?" I demanded in concern, scowling. It looked as if she had fallen off of something. Isabella did not reply. "What happened?" I asked again.

"Edward came back, and..." Alice piped up.

I pivoted to her. "Edward?" I interrupted, my voice strangely soft. "He had something to do with this?"

"Yes," she responded, her eyes bright with unshed tears. "Bella told us that he had her kidnapped, so that he could tell her that he had someone in Montana to get a friend of his in Michigan to send Bella the love notes and the roses. He also apologized to her for cheating on her with Tanya, but he wasn't truly sorry. Bella knew it, and when she confronted Edward and told him to stay away from her, she said that he just grabbed her. She threw the chocolate milkshake that he bought her at him, and he grabbed it so hard that the cup broke and the milkshake splashed all over him. That was when Bella tried to run, but she didn't make it very far before he caught her, and then...then..." Then Alice began to cry. "He forced himself on her."

I stared at her in disbelief, and horror, but mostly anger. "HE _WHAT_!?" I hissed, certain that I was mistaken. However, Alice's expression swept away my doubts.

That monster _raped_ her! He _raped_ my soul mate! He committed this shameful abomination against _my_ Isabella! He was dead. I was going to hunt that son a bitch down and tear him apart limb from limb for doing this to her! However, the first thing that I needed to do was to make sure that Isabella wasn't too hurt.

I began to take off her clothes when I realized that this might cause Isabella to feel uncomfortable and/or have an unwanted flashback. "You don't mind, do you, sweetheart?" I inquired of her.

Isabella shook her head and Emmett and Jasper walked out of the room.

I inspected her arms, wrists, and rib to see if there were any sprains or broken or fractured bones. Thankfully, there were none, only a mass of bruises.

With a tense sigh, I undid Isabella's jeans. When I slid them down, Edward's scent blasted powerfully into my nostrils. I glanced downwards to see dried semen on her legs. Rage tore at my insides, and I growled loudly. How dare he try to steal who and what was mine!?

Isabella, Alice, and Rosalie jumped and cowered.

I composed myself. "I apologize, my dear. I didn't intent to frighten you," I whispered to Isabella. Then I removed her panties before wrapping a blanket around her and taking her to my office to do another examination.

"Would you like me to do this? Or would you prefer it if Alice and Rosalie did? I would understand if you do..." I remarked after placing her on the stretcher.

Isabella waved her hand. "You can do it. I know that you won't hurt me," she cut in.

I nodded, pleased and grateful that she was not afraid of me. However, when I pulled up the blanket and opened her thighs to make the examination easier, Isabella started to sob. Alice indicated for me to go on as she and Rosalie rubbed her arms in comfort.

Gulping, I proceeded with the examination. "Oh, my God," I muttered, trembling with fury as I peered at Isabella's vagina and anus, which looked ruptured. "It almost looks as if she had been broken into. That bastard raped her raw. Does your vagina and anus hurt, Isabella?"

She bobbed her head.

After inspecting the interior of her vagina and anus, and treating her bruises, I was finished. "The only thing that I can say is that you are very fortunate," I announced while redressing Isabella. "If you had been a virgin when Edward did this to you, the situation would be much worse. Besides dried out skin, which I took care of, there is no damage to your vagina. And as for you anus, there is also no damage, and the pain will go away soon. Physically, you will be fine, but psychologically...I am afraid that it will take a while to recover from this. You will need to go through therapy, but this shall be done in private." I gave her a fierce hug, still shaking. "I am going to deal with this, my love. Edward will never hurt you again. I promise."

Rosalie embraced her as well. "You will get through this, Bella. It will take time, but you will."

Isabella nodded, then buried her face in my chest and cried her heart out. Alice and Rosalie patted her back. I heard the door open behind me, and Emmett and Jasper stepped into the room. They perched on either side of the bed and laid a hand on her shoulders.

"It will be all right, Bella," Emmett whispered.

"He won't get away with what he did to you," Jasper added menacingly. Then he grew rigid and turned to Alice. "Alice, darlin', are you sure that you still can't see what happened to Bella?"

"Yes, why?" she questioned.

"Because you would have seen it by now. Whenever Bella visits Jacob, you never know what she does even after she crosses into our territory, unless she tells you. Of course, you know that she doesn't do anything with him that would make us angry with her or Jacob, or both. Do...do you think that Edward might have crossed the boundary?"

Everyone was quiet. Isabella moved away from me and glanced at us.

Alice pursed her lips. "It's a definite possibility. But why would Edward do that? He knows that we would all get in trouble if we broke the treaty."

I mulled this over. "If he did, perhaps we can ask for an acquittal and find some way to get Jacob and his friends to help us, if they agree to do this." I shifted my attention to Isabella. "Isabella, I need you to call him. I have to speak to him, and I'm afraid that you will have to tell him what Edward did."

When she gaped at me in alarm, I stroked her cheek. "Don't worry, sweetheart. I will help you tell Jacob, if need be. But you have to call him now before we end up in mortal danger," I warned.

Isabella exhaled wearily and frowned, deciding whether or not to do as I suggested. A minute later, a gleam of hope sparked in her eyes, and she pulled out her phone.

**Bella's POV**

I dialed Jacob's number and the phone rang three times before he answered.

"Hello?" he half-yelled.

"Hey, Jacob," I mumbled.

"Oh, hi Bella! Why didn't you come to the party? We were waiting for you! We were going to give you a shout-out and everything!"

I turned to Carlisle, unsure of how to explain what happened to me. He held out his hand.

"Carlisle wants to speak to you about something important. Would you mind talking the him?" I asked.

Jacob paused. It was obvious that my question had astonished him. "Uh...sure," he replied in an uncertain voice. "But can't you tell me yourself?"

I sighed once more. "I will, but can you just talk to him first, please? He won't be long," I remarked.

"...Okay, then. Put him on."

I gave the cell phone to Carlisle.

"Hello, Jacob. How are you this evening?" he inquired in a genuinely polite voice.

Jacob's response was inaudible.

"That's good. I asked to speak to you because a very serious dilemma has come up involving Isabella. My family, Isabella, and I need to have a few words with you and your friends. I was wondering if you would consider meeting us at the boundary line at Isabella's house," Carlisle stated.

There was silence before Jacob said something.

"Thank you. Could you meet us there in fifteen minutes?...All right. Thanks again." Carlisle handed the phone back to me. "He wants to speak to you."

I put the phone to my ear. "Jake?"

"Hey, Bella. So, what's going on?" he demanded.

"Um," I balked, fidgeting. "I'll let you know when I see you. It would be better if I told you in person."

Jacob groaned. "Fine, if you say so. I'll see you in a few."

"Okay. Bye, Jacob."

"Bye, Bella."

The line went dead. I hung up and slid the phone back into my pocket.

Carlisle gathered me up in his arms. "Let's go, _ma Belle_," he whispered.

The others followed him as he carried me outside. Darkness surrounded us; we were in the forest.

Before I knew it, we were standing in a clearing outside of my backyard. From our position, I could see the driveway. Charlie's police cruiser was still absent.

Rosalie offered me a jacket. "Here, Bella. I think that it would be best not to show..._Jacob_...you face," she implied.

I took it. "Thanks, Rose," I grinned for the first time in what seemed like days.

She smiled back. "You're welcome."

After that, we waited. The breeze picked up, and dark-gray cloud sped eastward. Another storm was likely on the way, but it would hold off for some time.

Minutes later, Carlisle's head snapped up. "They're here. Isabella, put on your jacket and cover your face with the hood," he ordered gently.

He set me down and I did as he requested. The jacket was too large, but when I threw the hood over my head, I understood why Rosalie gave it to me. It obscured my face entirely.

Carlisle laced his fingers through mine and pulled me forward. Seconds later, we came to a halt. Somewhere close ahead of me, a bunch of footsteps paused as well.

"Dr. Cullen," I heard Sam greet in a respectful tone. Ever since the battle of the newborns, my family and Jacob's pack had become somewhat friendly.

"Evening, Sam," Carlisle returned just as kindly.

There was an impatient huff. "All right. So, what did you ask us to come here for?" Jacob questioned.

Carlisle shifted. "Sam, have you come across Edward's scent in your territory?"

"...No, I haven't, and nor did the others. Why?"

There was no reply. Carlisle and the others shifted again, this time uneasily.

"Well?" Sam persisted.

I tugged Carlisle's arm. "I want to tell Jacob."

He squeezed my hand. "Are you certain, my love?"

I nodded before lifting my head. "Jacob?" I called.

"Bella?" he shouted back.

"I need to tell you what...happened," I remarked, my voice quivering. "Can you meet me halfway?"

"Yeah."

I glanced at Carlisle. "You don't mind, do you?"

"Of course not, my dear. Go on. If you need me, just let me know."

I released him and lifted my head so that I could see where I was going. As I made my way over to Jacob, I continued to tremble. Memories of what Edward did to me flashed before my eyes. This was going to be difficult.

A hot hand stopped me. "Watch out, Bella," Jacob snickered mildly. His tone became serious. "So, what happened?"

I opened my mouth, but was unable to say anything. I cleared my throat. "Edward came back," I declared.

Jacob stiffened. "He did? When?"

"Tonight. And he..." I stammered. Tears began to roll down my cheek. A lump rose in my throat.

"He what? He didn't hurt you, did he?" Dawning anger filled his voice.

"Yes," I choked out, starting to weep.

Jacob grasped my shoulders, and I panicked.

"GET OFF!" I hollered, kicking him and stepping away.

"B-Bella! What did you do that for? What's wrong?" he demanded, sounding even more worried.

I had to calm myself down before answering him. "Yes, he did hurt me."

He took my hands instead. "He did? How!? You need to tell me!"

I lowered my head. "He...he raped me."

Dead silence. "He _what_?" Jacob murmured, his arms shaking.

"He raped me. Raped me, beat me, and choked me," I sobbed.

Growls and snarls filled the air.

Jacob backed up, still shaking. "He raped, choked, and beat you up!? Is that why you didn't go to the party? And why you're covering your face?" he asked, infuriated.

I nodded. "He did this to me about two or three hours ago. He had me blindfolded, kidnapped, and taken to the woods somewhere."

He stepped forward. "Let me see your face, please. I swear that I won't hurt you, but I need to see it. You don't have to move, Carlisle. I'm in control."

My jaw dropped. That was the first time that called Carlisle by his first name without pausing or sneering.

Carlisle must have felt that I was safe because Jacob's sneakers appeared in my line of vision.

My hood was pulled over my head softly. Then, Jacob took my head in his warm palms and lifted it.

Revulsion and alarm flickered across his face, and he looked as if he wanted to cry. His pained expression was soon replaced with a deep scowl as he made me turn to the others, who had crept up behind him without my noticing. Sam and Paul were enraged. Quil, Embry, and Jared only gaped at me, and Collin Littlesea and Brady Fuller-the packs newest members-did too. Seth looked nauseated, and Leah's face was bright with pity. "Oh, my God!" she gasped.

Jacob turned to Carlisle. "What do you need? We'll do anything that you want. All you have to do is say the word," he sneered.

Sam bobbed his head to confirm this.

"Well, if you are willing, I need you to help us find Edward. Alice told me earlier, before we came here. that she had not seen what he had done to Isabella. We have reason to believe that he had forced himself on her in your territory. If you do smell his scent anywhere on your lands, I beg you to spare me and the rest of my family," Carlisle implored.

"Don't worry, we will. It's not your fault, only his," Sam proclaimed. "And if we find him?"

Carlisle response was immediate. "Kill him. He must die for bringing harm to my mate. Alice? Rosalie?"

They ran over to him.

"Look after Isabella for me while Emmett, Jasper and I search for Edward. You may come along, if you wish, but keep her safe at all times. If we find him, I don't want him to have a chance to hurt her anymore than he has already. Do you understand?" he inquired sternly.

"Yes, Dad," Alice and Rosalie replied.

Jacob embraced me. "We'll find him soon and teach him a lesson," he muttered.

Sam turned to Carlisle. "If you like, perhaps we can make the treaty nonexistent for a while so that you can hunt on our lands as well as yours?"

"If it does not cause a problem?"

"Not at all. Jacob, would you like to join the Cullens?"

Jacob inclined his head. "Yeah. Seth, would you like to be my assistant?"

Seth smirked. "Hell yes."

Carlisle glanced at Alice. "If you're coming, we'll need you to use your visions, if it becomes possible to see Edward."

"Okay," Alice stated.

"All right," Sam proclaimed. "Quil, Embry, Leah, Collin, and Brady. I need you to look for in the south. Paul, Jared, and I will go north."

"Alice, Jacob, and I will follow you, but we will be several miles west from you. Emmett, Jasper, would you go south with the others, but go slightly east?"

They bobbed their heads.

"Rosalie, take Isabella and stick close to me."

She placed me on her back and tucked her hands under my knees.

"All right, everyone. Move out!" Sam announced.

We were gone from the clearing in a millisecond. I buried my face in the crook of Rosalie's shoulder.

Carlisle's voice drifted to me from my left. "Can you see where he is, Alice?"

"Not really. Just flicking images, as usual, and I can't see them very clearly. But he told Bella that he was going to come back for her after going on a hunt, so he can't be far."

"Keep trying, then, sweetie. Jacob, have you picked up Edward's scent yet?"

There was a loud bark.

"You have? Where?"

Another bark.

"Move east!"

I felt a gust of wind as they changed direction. Pretty soon, everyone stopped when Jacob barked again.

A hand touched my arm. "Isabella? Does this place look familiar to you?" he queried.

Raising my head, I looked around. "No, it d-wait," I exclaimed as I noticed tire tracks in the soil a few feet away. "Yes. This is where he..." I couldn't finish.

He caressed my cheek. "Where he forced you?" he murmured.

I nodded, tears welling up in my eyes.

Carlisle shut his own and took a deep breath. "Let's move on, everybody."

I hid my face once more as they started to run again.

They continued their search, heading farther north. Every minute or so, they would stop to sniff around.

I wasn't certain of how much time went by. After what seemed like hours, I began to feel sleepy. However, the cool wind prevent me from growing too tired. I hoped that this wouldn't take all night. What if Edward wasn't even in Washington, or wherever we were now? I was pretty sure that we had to be in Canada, or near there. But he had to be nearby. He said that he was going to visit me, after all.

"Stop!" I heard Carlisle yell abruptly some time later.

My head jerked up and I blinking confusedly. I must have dozed off.

It was pitch dark; the trees still loomed high overhead. I was stiff from holding on to Rosalie for so long.

She halted, and so did everyone else.

There was a brief silence, then: "I have a fresh scent. Head south."

Rosalie turned around and everything was a blur again. By now, I was fully awake and alert.

"His trail has shift west. He's five minutes away. If we hurry, we can catch him," Carlisle declared.

"Jasper," Alice said in a low voice, obviously talking on the phone. "Get the others to head northeast. We've found him. He's five minutes south of us. Prepare for an ambush!"

The chase went on for quite a bit. Edward knew that he was being pursued because he kept leading us in various directions.

About a half an hour, I suppose, Rosalie leaning forward. "I see him straight ahead!" she called to the others.

"Me too. I've got him!" Carlisle remarked.

"The others are less than a second away," Alice proclaimed.

"SURROUND HIM!" Carlisle yelled.

I didn't see what happened next, but abruptly, I heard growls and screams. In addition to that, there were noises that sounded like thunderclaps, lightning, and boulders colliding.

"YOU LITTLE SHIT! I WILL _MURDER_ YOU!" Carlisle bellowed in fury. There was another crash. "HOW COULD YOU HURT HER LIKE THAT!? HOW COULD YOU RAPE HER, AND IN COLD BLOOD!? YOU ARE NO SON OF MINE; YOU ARE THE SOULLESS MONSTER THAT YOU HAD CLAIMED YOURSELF TO BE!"

"I NEVER RAPED THAT WHORE! SHE WANTED ME TO FUCK HER!" Edward shouted back at him.

Everybody roared in outrage.

"YOU CUNT!" Jasper hollered. "IF BELLA WANTED YOU TO FUCK HER, DO YOU THINK THAT SHE WOULD HAVE RESISTED YOU AND BEGGED FOR YOU TO STOP WHEN YOU WERE HURTING HER!?"

"_Light a fire! Hold him tight!_" Emmett commanded.

In three quarters of a minute, flames sprang into my vision. By taking in my surroundings, I realized that we were in the middle of a field.

Edward, who was in Carlisle, Emmett, and Jasper's clutches, glared at me. "_YOU_! YOU LIED TO THEM ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED, DIDN'T YOU, YOU BITCH!?"

I stared at him in rage and disbelief. "_Lie_!? You know _good fucking well_ that I wouldn't and couldn't lie about that! They would have known if I had; you know that I am the worst liar in the world! You RAPED me, Edward, and you know it! If you loved me like to you told me that you did, then you wouldn't have done that, or beat me, or choked me, or threatened to harm Carlisle or have me gang-raped if I didn't stay away from him! I HATE YOU! AND I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU FOR WHAT YOU DID TO ME!"

Jacob and his pack gaped at me in horrified shock as I ranted. I just remembered that I hadn't told them what Edward had planned to do if I had contacted Carlisle.

Edward snarled at me. "If I ever get my hands on you, I will fucking-!" he growled.

"YOU WON'T DO SHIT TO HER, ASSHOLE!" Jacob yelled, kicking him in the jaw. I heard it snap.

Carlisle turned Edward away and wrapped his arm around his neck. "For what you did to my mate, you shall pay for it with your life, and go straight to hell where you belong!" he announced.

Everyone shouted in assent as he tugged on Edward's head. Edward tried to fight, but Carlisle, Jasper, and Emmett were stronger than him.

The next thing I knew, Rosalie let out a terrible, ear-shattering growl and put me down. She ghosted to where Carlisle was, jumped onto Edward's back. I heard the sound of tearing metal as she and Carlisle ripped his head from his shoulders.

After Edward had been ripped into pieces, he was thrown into the blazing fire. Carlisle gave me his head and hands.

I walked over to the flames. "Never again will you look at me, say terrible things to me, curse me out, or kiss me by force," I proclaimed, throwing the head into the blazes. "And never again will you laid a hand on me, hold me down, or try to silence me." I tossed the hands into them afterwards.

Carlisle stood next to me, lightly holding something covered in denim. "And never again will you use your loins as a weapon to attempt to control and hurt _my_ Isabella with," he declared, chucking his penis into the fire.

Then he took my hand. I grasped Rosalie's in my other hand and she clung to Emmett's. Alice held both Carlisle and Jasper's. I felt warm hands on my shoulders and knew that Jacob was standing behind me.

Everyone else was still and quiet, gazing at the pyre just as my little group was. And together, all of us watched as Edward Anthony Masen Jr. disappeared from the world.

Once the ashes had disintegrated into nothingness and the flames were put out, I heard someone clear their throat.

"Dr. Cullen, may I have a word with you?" Sam questioned.

"Yes," Carlisle responded, turning to him. "What is it?"

He took a deep breath, then stated, "You have my consent to turn Bella into a vampire. She is your soul mate, and therefore, in my opinion, she has every right to become an immortal. And listen, if you ever need us for anything else, just let us know and we'll be glad to help you. I will also allow you in our territory as long as you don't cause any trouble. This is for Bella's benefit, since Jacob is her friend. You may hunt animals, visit us if you need anything, or whatever you want as long as you don't bite or kill a human. If other vampires besides you come onto our lands, we won't hold you responsible for them if they are nomads and no one that you are familiar with."

Bobbing his head, Carlisle thanked him and shook his hand. I couldn't help but smile with joy, witnessing the new alliance of the vampires and werewolves that I had long hoped for.

After a moment, Carlisle placed me on his back. "We are going to go back to Forks now. I am sure that Isabella would like to take a shower before going to bed."

Now that I thought about it, I did.

"Okay, then. We'll go with you."

I buried my face in Carlisle's neck as we dashed for home, leaving the pyre behind without a care.

(A/N: **PLEASE REVIEW!** Ha-ha! The creep finally got what was coming to him! I know that the chapter was short, but still, what do you think?)


	10. Author's Note 2: Please Read

**Author's Note**

Hey guys! Thank you to those who had read my last chapter. There was something that I forgot to mention in the author's note of the previous chapter. I was thinking of an alternate story to this one, i.e. What if Edward did have Bella kidnapped and gang-raped? And what if he traveled to a different city/country and held Bella captive? (Held Captive would be the story's title.) There will be no suicide in it, but there will be quite a few surprises and a lot of drama. And, of course, Carlisle will rescue Bella eventually. What do you think of the idea? Let me know your opinions!

Sincerely,

~Iridescent Springs~


	11. I Have to Tell Charlie

**Bella's POV**

It wasn't too long before Carlisle, my family, and I arrived back in Forks. We said good-bye to Jacob and his friends, then parted ways.

"Remember what I said, Dr. Cullen! You may call us anytime!" Sam hollered.

"Don't worry! If I have to, I will! Thank you for your help! And you may call me Carlisle, if you like," Carlisle yelled back.

"Sure, Carlisle! And it wasn't any trouble! Good-bye!"

"Good-bye, Sam!"

After I told Jacob that I would see him later, we headed to the mansion and was there in about nine seconds.

When we entered the house, Carlisle put me down. "I believe that you would like that shower now?" he inquired, although it was more of a statement.

I nodded. "Yeah," I mumbled, gazing at my feet. I avoided looking into his eyes, not wanting to see the fury and shame in them.

Rosalie placed a hand on my arm. "Would you like me to help you with anything? I can draw a bath for you instead, if you want," she stated.

"A bath is fine, I guess," I remarked.

She inclined her head before whispering something to Carlisle. He nodded at whatever she said to him in understanding. Then she led me upstairs to the bathroom in our room.

"I'm just going to run the water, put some bubble bath in it, and leave you to it. Unless you want me to sit with you?"

"No, thank you, Rosalie. I just want to be alone for the moment. It's nothing personal, though." I didn't want her to be around me while I was naked. It would be too humiliating. Plus, I didn't want her to stare at all of the bruises I had.

She embraced me. "I know how you feel, trust me I do. When you're done, I want to talk to you in private before you go to sleep. I asked for Carlisle and the others to hunt."

"Okay. Could you leave so that I can have some privacy, please?"

Rosalie patted my back. "Of course, Bella. Wait a minute..." She ghosted out the room for a second and came back. "Here are some nightclothes for you. You will probably want to get dressed in the bathroom."

I nodded again. "Yeah, I...I think that it would be best if I did."

"I understand. Go on."

I grinned at her, then stepped into the bathroom. The top of the bathtub was thick with white bubbles that would hide me completely. I undressed before lowering myself into the hot water that felt so good on my bruises. I leaned against the rear end of the tub so that the water covered everything except for my head and tried to relax.

Flashes of the what happened earlier today surged through my vision. The drive to Seattle. Purchasing my book bag. The road worker speaking to me. The kidnapping. Edward apologizing before grabbing me, then hauling me back to the car. Edward punching me in the eye, yelling in my face, then tying me down and...and...

Shaking my head, I tried to keep myself from thinking about it, to forget what he did to me. However, I knew that that was impossible. I would always remember it, especially the pain, even after I was changed. I was sure of it.

The worse part was that it was _all my fault_. If I had taken Alice or Jacob to Seattle with me, Edward wouldn't have...well, you know. I had set myself up for this. Carlisle had every right to furious, especially with me. I didn't listen to him, and in not doing so, I put myself in danger.

If only I hadn't had sex with Carlisle after I found out that Edward had cheated on me and broke our engagement. Of course, this would have inevitably happened, knowing that he was my true other half. However, I wished now that we had waited a few weeks or so to begin dating. But no one could resist the call of their mate for long.

With a sigh, I proceeded to clean myself, wanting to get rid of the feeling of Edward all over my skin. Never in my life had I felt so dirty or used. However, it did not go away, even when I had taken a shower afterwards. I gave up and put on my nightclothes, not once looking in the mirror. What else was there to see other than a bruised, battered body? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

After combing my hair, I left the bathroom. Rosalie was sitting on our bed, waiting for me.

"Done?" she inquired.

I nodded and perched on the spot beside her. She gazed at me for a moment, then hugged me tightly.

"Bella...I am so, _so_ very sorry for what happened to you. _No one_ deserves to go through what you did. You don't know how much everyone, especially Carlisle, blames themselves for what Edward did. I know that you probably think that it is your fault, but it _isn't_. It is _ours_; _we had failed to protect you_. One of us should have gone to Seattle with you to be certain that nothing happened to you. We should have _known_ that something would." Tears filled her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. "None of us will ever forgive ourselves for not being there. I know for a fact that Carlisle especially won't. And neither shall I, but I will never hate myself as much as Carlisle hates himself," she wept.

I sniffled. "But you shouldn't! None of this is your fault; it wasn't as if you saw it coming. None of you had any idea that...that Edward was going to...to..." I faltered, unable to say it.

"I know, but still. We should have known that he would have taken his anger out on you," Rosalie pointed out.

"But I rather that he had. I wouldn't have wanted him to hurt Carlisle," I murmured. I would have lost it if he did.

She quirked an eyebrow skeptically. "I understand why you feel that way, but don't you think that Carlisle wishes that Edward had confronted him instead of...instead of forcing himself on you? He is beating himself up, and will continue to do so for the rest of his existence because he wasn't there to stop Edward. For being unable to hear you crying out to _him_, to Alice, Jasper, Emmett, Jacob...to me," she concluded in a whisper, trembling with sobs. "And for not answering your call to save you. I was closer to where you were, and if I had heard it, I would have definitely killed him myself for what he was doing to you...my mother."

I was astonished and touched by her words. "Rosalie...I don't want you to think of me as your mom. I am barely old than you, and I am younger than Alice, Jasper, and Emmett." Both Alice and Jasper had been changed at the age of nineteen. Emmett was turned when he was twenty.

"But you still are. When you and Carlisle marry, you will be the mother that we have long hoped to have. Well, you already are, being his mate and all. I know that you are shocked to hear this coming from me. I know that I said that I didn't particularly like you, but it was only because I could tell that you weren't Edward's mate by the way that he treated you. He was too bossy and overprotective-not that Carlisle isn't the latter. He is, not too much, but enough-and plus, he cheated on you. I thought that you would leave us after you found out that he was not your true other half, so there wouldn't be any point in becoming close to you. That way, I wouldn't be sad if you did leave us. But I was wrong, and I am glad that I was, and I'm so sorry that I was such a bitch to you." She embraced me once more. "You have _no_ idea how much I love you, Bella. How much you mean to me, and to our family."

I wrapped my arms around her. "I...I love you too, Rose. I always have, and I forgive you for treating me so badly. I see now why you did," I sobbed.

Rosalie cried into my neck. "I-I-I'm going to m-make it up to you, Bella. I promise."

We stayed like that for a bit, then eventually calmed down, wiping away our tears.

"Um...Rosalie? What made you snap when Carlisle was about to tear Edward's head off?" I queried in curiosity.

She laughed a little. "The answer is very simple. When I looked at Edward, the only thing that I saw was another Royce King II. You have no clue how furious and devastated it makes and made me feel. To know that someone you loved had _betrayed you in the_ _worse way imaginable_, as Royce had done to me. I also felt that Edward had betrayed me as well. He knew the pain that I went through when I had been gang-raped by Royce and his friends. The shame and humiliation that I felt, and sometimes still do. But that is not as important. What truly matters is that he had hurt _you_, and in a way that should never be done. I will always hate him for it. For betraying me, but most importantly, for betraying you...and Carlisle. I don't understand how he could _do_ that to him, when he looked up to him as his _father_. I'm glad that that cretin is dead."

I could not thing of anything to say although I understood her completely. "I know what you mean. But still, everything is my fault..." I mumbled.

"_No_, Bella, it _isn't_...!" she interrupted.

"No. Listen to me," I pleaded, holding up my hands.

Grudgingly, Rosalie nodded.

"It _is_ my fault," I continued. "I should have called you, Alice, Emmett, or Jasper when Jacob told me that he wouldn't be able to go to Seattle with me. Or stayed home. But I didn't, and look where it has left me! I can't believe how stupid I was. I am sure that Carlisle doesn't want to have anything to do with my dumb ass now, even if I am his mate. I let this happen to me, ever since I slept with him after I broke up with Edward. Edward called me a whore, a selfish whore. And maybe I am. Maybe I am. After all, who would break up with someone and fuck their _father_ not a half an hour later?! The only thing that I cared about was getting the comfort that I needed, and I had to up and fuck him! I'm such a terrible person..."

"ENOUGH!" Rosalie bellowed, taking my hands in hers. "I am NOT going to sit here and let you disrespect yourself, especially when you are _wrong_! _It is not your fault_. Carlisle is your _soul mate_, your _true other half_. You have _every_ right to be with him, have sex with him, and do anything you please with him, and at any time. No, this is _Edward's_ fault. _He_ cheated on you. _He_ was the one who had hurt you and raped you. He could have just accepted the fact that you and Carlisle were mates like a man, but he didn't. _He_ chose to do what he did to you, to lash out like an immature child and a coward. _He_ betrayed you, not to mention Carlisle, and who paid for it in the end? HIM, WITH HIS LIFE. NOT YOU. YOU did not deserve this. And nor are you stupid, or a whore. It is not as if you knew that this was going to happen either. I understand your guilt, though. Believe me I do, but you have no cause to feel this way, _not at all. _Do you hear me, Isabella Marie Swan?"

I inclined my head mutely, floored by her tirade.

She eyed me shrewdly, then gave me a fierce hug. "I'm sorry for yelling at you, Bella. But I just couldn't let you go on thinking that you had brought this on yourself. As I said before, _no one_ deserves to go through something like that. I know that you won't believe that you didn't for a while, however, but one day you will. Trust me. Carlisle and I will help you to see this."

"_How_? I felt so disgusting from what Edward did to me. Carlisle can barely even look at me, especially when I am bruised up like this. He must think that I am ugly and dirty, as I know that I am."

"Bella, if you believe that, then you are _crazy_. You know that Carlisle thinks that you are the most beautiful woman in the world, and I know that he still does, even after what happened. And he is right. _You are_ _beautiful_, as beautiful as I am if not more. Yes, even I will admit that. And you are pure, kind, generous, intelligent, and above all, loyal and loving. I can see why you are his other half, because he has the same qualities that you possess. You two are really lucky to have each other. Edward did not deserve you, for now, I can see that he truly wasn't any of that...not very likely, anyway. And if he was, then he had gotten fucked up somewhere down the line."

I couldn't help but laugh at this, and Rosalie joined in. "Yes, I suppose that that's true," I whispered, chortling.

She snickered. "You suppose? You had better believe it," she said. "No, honestly, you should. But remember what I told you. You are _not_ dirty, disgusting, or ugly. You may not be perfect, but you are still every good quality put into one. You are one of us...a true Cullen. _I_ love you. _Alice_ loves you. _Jasper_ loves you. _Emmett_ loves you. And more importantly, _Carlisle loves you_. And we always will. You are definitely someone worth fighting for."

Then she kissed me on the cheek and squeezed my hand. "And one more thing. You are going to have to tell your dad what happened. Not everything; you can't tell him that Edward is dead because that would take quite some explaining, and we can't reveal what we are. But he deserves to know what he did to you," she implied.

"I don't know if I can, Rosalie. I could barely tell you guys or Jacob about it!" I protested.

"Well, if it is difficult for you, I will help you tell him. Carlisle will too, and so will everyone else. We are going to get through this together as a family, and I am certain that Carlisle would say the same if he were here. All right?" she questioned.

"...Alright. But you know that Charlie will want to hunt him down. What will we say to him?" I asked.

She smirked. "Oh, trust me. We will think of something. We always do."

I chuckled knowingly. "You're telling me."

Giggling, Rosalie shoved me playfully. "And that's something else that I had forgotten to mention about you; you're funny."

I shoved her back with a grin. "Nah. I'm really not that funny. People think that I'm boring."

"We don't. Carlisle doesn't."

"Other people I meant. Not you, Carlisle, or the others."

Rolling her eyes, she stood up. "Well, I'm going to let you go to bed now. It's been a very long day, and I know that you have to be _extremely_ worn out. Do you want me to keep the light on and sit with you? Or would you rather if Carlisle did? I can call him for you, if that is what you prefer."

I pursed my lips. "I'll let Carlisle hunt until he is ready to come back. You don't have to stay, Rose. You can go for a hunt too, if you need it. But keep the light on until I go to sleep. I'm afraid that I'll...have a flashback," I murmured.

She gazed at me with sympathy. "I know what you mean, Bella, I know. And I don't need to hunt. I'm going to stay here and make sure that you're safe. I'll leave the room to give you some privacy, but if you need me, please don't hesitate to let me know," she remarked.

I bobbed my head. "Okay. I won't." I dove under the covers. "Good-night," I stated.

"Good-night, Bella. Try to sleep," Rosalie added.

"I will."

The door closed and I was alone. For the first time in hours, it was deafeningly quiet. I turned on the radio to an easy music station and climbed in bed again. I attempted not to think, but it was hard. It was a long time before I grew drowsy, and eventually, I had finally fallen asleep.

**Carlisle's POV**

It was nearly two o'clock in the morning before I had returned home. My mind was not on my hunt; I was desperate to make sure that Isabella was being well taken care of.

No words could express the pain that I was in, although it would never compare to hers. My first companion...my very first companion...had betrayed me in one of the most contemptible ways possible. He had hurt my Isabella in a manner that no one should _ever_ have to endure. He raped her, beat her, and very likely damage her soul. And there was no one to blame other than myself.

Why did I not hear her when she called for us, for _me_? If I had, I would have stopped him from going too far. I hated and despised myself greatly for not being there for her when she needed me. I should have made one of my children accompany her to Seattle. Edward would have left Isabella alone then. However, there was one comfort; I had rid the world of him. He will never have the chance to bring harm to her or anyone else again. I would never have forgiven myself if I had allowed him to live, which I would not have done anyway. That would be risky business, and if he had harmed someone else, it would be forever on my conscious. As if what he did to Isabella was not already.

Before long, I was in front of the mansion. Rosalie was sitting on the steps with her arms around her knees. Her face was glistening with tears. She looked up as I approached her.

"Hey. I was waiting for you," she muttered in brittle voice.

I lowered myself onto the spot next to her and rubbed a hand over my face. "Is Isabella...?" I asked, not saying okay, knowing that she was not.

"She's asleep," she whispered. "It took a while for her to relax, but that's to be expected."

"Mmm," I grunted.

There was silence before Rosalie mumbled, "Carlisle, I know that you think that what happened to Bella is your fault, but it's not. I know that you would have prevented it if you knew that he was going to hurt her."

I glared at her. "But I had the feeling that he would eventually return, and I was correct. I do not know why I didn't..." A tear slipped out of my eye. "I could have made sure that I or one of you went to Seattle with her, but I did not. I had practically _allowed_ that monster to harm her. If she were not my mate, I am certain that she would be hating me right now, and I would deserve it. I am suppose to protect her, and I had failed her for not being there when she needed me the most. I will never forgive myself for this," I sobbed brokenly.

Rosalie held me close and patted my back. "I know how you feel, Daddy. You aren't the only one. The others and I feel that same way, even though we don't as strongly as you do, you being her soul mate and all. Do you not think that we wish that we could have been there too?" she inquired.

"I know that you all did. You all love her," I wept.

"Of course we do. No one can help but love her if they know her."

I nodded in agreement, and she stroked my back as I continued to cry out of guilt, shame, self-loathing, despair, and rage. But mostly, I cried for Isabella, for all of the pain that she was in. For the way her life had been changed in a way that it should never have been, and how my poor baby would never be quite the same again. Isabella was usually such a content, calm, and happy person when she was not under stress. What would she be like now?

Eventually, I was able to reign myself in and brushed away my tears. Rosalie gave me a hug, then moved away.

"It's going to be all right in the end, Dad. Bella will recover from this in time-well, not completely, and not for a while, but you know what I mean. We are going to help her. You, me, Emmett, Alice, Jasper, and most likely even Charlie, Renée, Phil, and Jacob. And maybe his friends will too. Bella is a strong young woman," she declared.

Grinning faintly, I stood up. "That is very true. I don't mean to cut this short, but I am going to check on Isabella now."

She threw up her hands. "Speaking of which, there was something else I wanted to talk to you about. Could you just stay here for a few more minutes?" she questioned.

I exhaled deeply. "Sure," I replied, sitting back down.

Rosalie narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips, deep in thought. "It will be best if you and Bella don't have...don't get too intimate for some time," she amended, looking embarrassed.

"I know that, sweetheart. It would not do any good; if we did, she would probably have a flashback, and it would terrify her," I pointed out.

"Yes, and try to not grab or hold her arms, wrists or her shoulders. You saw how Bella reacted when Jacob grabbed them. And try not to touch her neck at all, if you can help it. Don't yell at her either. You may frighten her. Be very gentle with her too. She never said it, but I can tell that Edward was extremely rough with her."

"I shall definitely keep that in mind. I don't want her to snap or become afraid of me."

"She won't-you are her soul mate. And besides, Bella knew that you wouldn't hurt her when you performed the examination on her. Oh, and you know that she is liable to have nightmares. Before you wake her up, I think that you should turn the light on. That way, she will know who you are. She will be disoriented and half-asleep, and if you wake her up in the dark, it will very likely scare her. You saw the beginning of _Child of Rage_, didn't you? When Beth's foster father went to give her a kiss and she thought that he was her biological father? And she beamed the flashlight in his face?"

I nodded. "Yes, I did."

She bobbed her head. "Then you know what I mean. Oh, and you know that we have to tell Charlie about what happened. We can't keep this away from him; he has to know. But like I told Bella, we can't tell him that you, Emmett, Jasper and I killed Edward, and she said that her dad will want to hunt him down."

I sighed wearily. "That is most certainly true. We will have to pretend that we don't know where he is, and say that we are going to hire a private detective to look for him. We will have to do it too, in case Charlie decides to speak to them."

"But you know that they'll never find him. He's dead, and serves him right. We can't have them searching for him forever."

"Don't worry. We will come up with something."

"Yeah. Well, that's all I really had to say. You can go and check on Bella now. I know that you are anxious to."

I kissed Rosalie's cheek, then walked into the house. I went upstairs to my bright bedroom.

Isabella was sleeping a bit restlessly, but other than that, she seemed calm. I leaned over and placed a kissed on her temple.

"Oh, baby, you will never quite comprehend how sorry I am for not rescuing you," I whispered.

After cuddling her for a moment, I tried to make myself comfortable in my armchair near the window. I listened to the soft music that the radio was playing and waited for morning.

That was when Isabella screamed.

"NO! Get away from me! Leave me alone!...No, please, don't!..." she yelled.

I rushed over to her and shook her gently. "Isabella, wake up. It's just a dream," I proclaimed.

"Get off of me, Edward! You're hurting me!" she shouted.

"I'm not Edward, baby. I'm Carlisle. Wake up. Please wake up," I begged.

Isabella paused. "Carlisle? Is it really you?" she whimpered, her eyes still closed.

Caressing her cheek with the back of my hand, I murmured, "Yes, it is me. Edward's gone. I had gotten rid of him. He will never bother you again."

She shifted. "He won't?" She sounded hopeful this time.

"No. And I will sit here with you to make sure that he doesn't come back. I'll fight him off for you, if need be."

Isabella finally opened her eyes. "Carlisle?" she croaked groggily.

I kissed her forehead. "Yes, _ma Belle_. I am really here. Edward is dead...remember?"

After a second, she nodded. "Mm-hmm. Good riddance," she muttered, turning over.

Wanting to take her hand, but choosing not to, kept still. "I truly apologize, sweetheart."

She peered at me in confusion. "For what? Oh." She began to understand what I meant and embraced me tightly. "I'm not mad at you, baby. You didn't know that this was going to happen. None of us did. It wasn't your fault that you couldn't hear me. This is all my fault..."

I moved away. "_No_! It is _not_! _None_ of this is! It is _Edward's_ fault. He was the one who had hurt you. You didn't do anything wrong."

"Yes, I did. I didn't tell anyone to go to Seattle with me..."

"I know that, but I should have done something when you didn't."

"But no one else did either because we didn't know, not even Alice because I was planning to see Jacob. She can't see me when I do, so that makes it no one's fault but Edward's for planning to...to force me. I knew you would have stopped him if you did know that he was, or if Alice had seen him do this."

"I understand that, but even so, we should have made sure that you had an accomplice. He wouldn't have done anything if you had. I of all people should have known better than to let you go by yourself," I stated.

Isabella pursed her lips. "Well, I guess that I have to go along with some of that, but it's not your fault. You would have never put me in harm's way if you knew that he or anyone else was out to get me."

I smiled a little, but was not consoled. "I know what you mean. Still, can you ever forgive me Isabella? For not doing something in the first place, no matter that I did not know? For failing to protect you?" I implored.

She bobbed her head, kissed me on the cheek, and wrapped her arms around me. "Of course I do, Carlisle. Of course I do. You didn't fail me-you never have-and you know that I will never blame you for this. Never," she remarked firmly.

"And I don't want you to blame yourself either," I added, changing the subject when she looked as if she were ready to argue. "You still look tired. Go back to sleep. Well, try to go back to sleep. I will be here all night."

"Do you promise?" she queried.

I smooched her nose. "I promise."

She laid back down and I cautiously tucked her in. "Good night, _ma Belle_."

"Night, Carlisle."

**Bella's POV**

I woke up at eleven thirty the next morning, which was late to me. I was used to getting up by nine or ten. I was relieved that I didn't have anymore nightmares. The one I had last night, of Edward chasing me, punching me, and holding me down was all too real. I was glad that Carlisle woke me up when he did.

The aforesaid person was sitting next to me, gazing impassively at nothing in particular. I laid my hand on the crook of his elbow and he turned to me.

"Hey," I mumbled.

"Good morning, Isabella," he returned quietly, pain flashing in his eyes. I noticed that they were lingering on the bruises on my face.

My heart broke as turned away from him so that he wouldn't stare. Neither of us said anything, and the house was silent. Had the others come back from hunting yet? Or were they just milling around and doing nothing?

Finally, I said, "I guess that I might as well take a shower. And then I'll have to call Charlie."

He stroked my back. "I will do that for you. Go ahead and take your shower," he whispered.

I grabbed some clothes out of a drawer and headed into the bathroom. After showering, I tried to style my hair in a way that the bruises on my face weren't too visible. Charlie would want to see them no matter how much I didn't want him to. I hated to think of what his reaction would be when I managed to tell him everything. Well, not really. I wasn't going to mention the letters without telling him that Alice and the others had searched for him in Michigan.

I dressed and fixed myself up as best as I could before giving up. I looked terrible, no matter what I did. With a resigned sigh, I stepped into the bedroom to see Carlisle waiting for me by the door.

"Did you call him?" I inquired.

He inclined his head. "Charlie told me that he will be here within fifteen minutes. I didn't say anything other than that something was wrong and that we needed to speak to him," he responded.

"Okay. C-Can you help me tell him, please?" I asked.

Carlisle kissed my forehead. "You know that I will," he soothed.

We went downstairs to the living room. Alice, Jasper, Emmett, and Rosalie were also there. They were all sitting on the loveseats.

"Hi everybody," I greeted in a low voice.

"Morning, Bella," Alice proclaimed.

"Good morning, sweetie," Rosalie announced.

Emmett and Jasper nodded.

Rosalie bent forward. "Are you feeling okay?" she queried.

I shrugged. "I guess so," I muttered, plopping down onto the couch as gently as I could. I was still aching a little. Carlisle sat next to me.

"Mmm." She eyed me with sympathy and understanding.

Then it grew quiet once more. Nobody talked, unable to think of anything to say.

Alice's morose expression suddenly turned blank. "Charlie is riding up the driveway," she declared.

"I will show him in then," Carlisle stated, getting up. When he noticed that I was trembling, he embraced me. "It will be all right, my dear. Trust me."

"You know that I do," I pointed out.

He caressed my hair, then ghosted away.

"Do you want me to help you too?" Rosalie questioned.

I nodded. "Please? This is going to be so hard."

She perched on the spot next to me. "I understand. Just try to remain calm."

The door opened downstairs, and I heard Carlisle and Charlie's voices as he entered the mansion. I lowered my head as they climbed the steps. I didn't want Charlie to see my face right away. Thankfully, my hair obscured it.

A minute later, they walked into the room. "Hi Bella," Charlie proclaimed.

"Hey, Dad," I grunted.

"Hi everyone," he said to the others. "How are you?"

They told him that they were fine. Carlisle then offered him a chair that was near the sofa, and he made himself comfortable.

When Carlisle had sat down on my left, Charlie threw one ankle over the other.

"So, what's the matter, Bella? Carlisle told me that you have something important to talk to me about," he noted.

I did not know how to answer him. Would Charlie get upset and blame me for what Edward did? Would he say that it was my fault for dating his father so soon after I had ended my engagement with him?

Carlisle placed his hand on mine, and I turned to him. He nodded encouragingly, squeezing my hand softly. I glanced at Rosalie, and she bobbed her head as well.

I cleared my throat. "Dad...Edward came back last night," I stated.

Charlie shifted. "Edward came back? What for?" he demanded.

"To apologize for cheating on me. He had me kidnapped..." I went on.

He froze. "He did _what?_!" he interrupted in outrage.

"Let me finish, Dad," I pleaded.

Exhaling deeply, he grumbled, "I'm sorry. Go ahead."

"Thank you. Yes, Edward had me kidnapped when I was outside of Seattle and taken to the woods, but I'm not sure where. But the ride to wherever it was didn't take long. I was thrown into his car-not his Volvo, but another one-and that was when he proceeded to talk to me. I told him that I was not interested in anything that he had to say, and to let me go, but he didn't listen. He said that he wouldn't let me out until he had apologized. I knew that he wouldn't, so I let him in hopes that he would leave me alone afterwards."

"Uh-huh. And?"

I gulped and a tear fell on my lap. Carlisle rubbed my hand. "Dad, I don't know why I permitted him to because after he did, Edward told me that he wanted us to get back together. And of course, I said no. I could tell that he was lying about his apology. He told me that it wasn't his fault, but that it was the girl's. I didn't believe him. After what he did, I couldn't trust him again. I also told him to stay away from me, and that was when he snapped." I began to cry. Rosalie gave me a hug before I continued. "He grabbed me and I threw the chocolate shake that he had bought for me at him. I didn't drink it, though. I believed that it was probably spiked-"

"Good girl. It could have been-"

"I threw it at him, and he caught it too roughly. The cup broke and the shake spilled all over him. That was when I got out of the car and ran, but he caught me before I could get very far. He pulled me back over to his car and locked the door so that I couldn't try to escape. Then he got in the car and punched me in the eye..."

Charlie gasped. "HE...HE...THAT ASSHOLE PUNCHED YOU?!" he bellowed, making me cringe.

Carlisle threw up his hands. "Lower your voice, please, Charlie. You are frightening her," he admonished.

He apologized once more and indicated for me to finish my story.

I swallowed thickly. "Yes, so hard that I flew into the window. Then he pulled me to him, called me whore, and said that I wouldn't take him back because I was angry that cheated on me. And that I was mad because he had sex with the girl he cheated on first. And...and then..." I wept, unable to continue. Rosalie patted my back.

"And then what?" Charlie queried in a gentle voice.

When I did not respond, Carlisle leaned over. "Would you like me to tell him for you?" he murmured.

"No. I can do it. It's just overwhelming," I sobbed.

He brushed the tears off of my face. "I understand, baby. Give her a moment to collect herself," he added to Charlie.

"I will," he remarked.

When I had, I grasped Carlisle's arm. "Then he undressed us and tied my wrists to something. And after that...Edward r-raped me. Not just vaginally, but anally and orally. He also beat me for spitting on him and not kissing him, and he choked me too, for the same reasons. I t-t-tried to fight him and get him off of me, b-but he was just too strong.

"Then, he brought me home, and threatened to hurt Carlisle and have me g-gang-raped if I ever spoke to Carlisle again. After that, he let me out of the car and drove away. I made Alice come and get me and told her, Rosalie, Emmett and Jasper what happened. When Carlisle came, I told him too, and he performed an examination. I'm sorry that I didn't tell you f-first, Daddy, but you weren't home, and I was too distraught to call you. P-Please don't be mad at me," I implored before breaking down completely.

I felt Charlie wrap his arms around me. He was crying too, very hard. "Baby, I'm not mad at all. You did tell me, and that's what matters. I'm so sorry for what that cretin did to you, but he won't get away with it. I am going to make him pay for hurting my baby girl like this, and you know that that's a fact. It's going to be all right. I know that it wasn't easy to tell me this. Go ahead and cry. Just let it out. Let it out. I'm here for you. We all are," he proclaimed tearfully, meaning Carlisle and the others.

I embraced him and wept into his jacket as he stroked my hair.

(A/N: What an emotional chapter. **PLEASE REVIEW!** What did you think? Oh, and Held Captive will be updated next. Happy Holidays!)


	12. And Call Renée

Charlie held me for a long time as we cried together. Eventually, we settled down and wiped our moist faces.

He kissed my cheek. "You okay now?" he queried.

I sniffed. "A little," I replied. "You?"

Nodding, he turned to Carlisle. "May I have a description of her injuries, please?"

Carlisle bent forward, lifting my chin so that Charlie could see my face. "The left side of Bella's face has bruises shaped like hand prints. Her left eye was swollen closed last night, but it opened this morning. Of course, it is still bruised. The knot on the right side of her forehead was from when she flew into the car's window. There are also bruises on her neck, arms, stomach, and legs. Fortunately, there are no broken bones, sprains, dislocations or fractures."

Gazing at my face in horror and sadness, Charlie's eyes welled up with more tears. "Did..." He cleared his throat. "Did you take pictures of her bruises?"

"No, but I will do so if you like," Carlisle remarked.

Charlie inclined his head. "Please do. I need them to help our investigation. Oh, and...was Bella a...a...virgin? Is there any damage to her...?" he faltered, unable to complete his question.

"The answer to both questions are no. I am...Isabella's first. Nevertheless, the skin of her vagina was moderately raw. It did not have any rashes or cuts, though. But I treated it, and her bruises." Carlisle looked uncomfortable and embarrassed. If he could have blushed, he would have been doing so right then.

It was obvious that Charlie had mixed feelings about this. On one hand, he was relieved. And on the other, he was not happy about Carlisle and I having sex. The latter was to be expected, however. If I was a dad, I wouldn't be either.

After a moment, Charlie nodded slowly. "Well...that's good. At least she did not get...too hurt down there."

"Wrong," I proclaimed dismally. "It hurt very badly."

He bowed his head in despair. "I'm sorry, Bells," he whispered.

I grinned weakly. "Don't worry, Dad. It's okay; none of this is your fault," I assured him, laying a hand on his shoulder.

Carlisle wrapped an arm around my waist. "I supposed that we had better take those pictures now. You may wait here while I do; it shouldn't take long."

"Okay. Go on," Charlie stated, sitting down on the loveseat.

I turned to look behind me. "Alice? Rose? Could you sit with me while he takes them?"

"Sure," Alice replied.

"Of course we can," Rosalie added.

They followed us upstairs to Carlisle's room, which was brightly lit. The first thing that he did was make me remove my t-shirt. Then he took several photos of my face, neck, arms, and stomach. Next, he proceeded to take pictures of my thighs and legs. I found it humiliating to be all exposed like that, but Carlisle, Alice and Rosalie's presence soothed me.

After a few minutes, Carlisle hooked his camera up to his laptop. He sent the photographs to it before printing them out.

When he was finished, he smiled at us a little. "I'm done. We can go to the family room now," he declared.

Nodding, I slid my jeans on before heading back to the aforesaid room with them. Charlie was speaking to Emmett and Jasper, but looked up as we approached.

"Here you are, Charlie," Carlisle stated.

"Thank you," he returned, taking the packet that he was offering him. He pulled out the pictures, and when he saw them, it looked liked his heart broke all over again. My heart broke for him; I despised the fact that he had to see them. It was destroying him. In addition to that, he was outraged. "That son of a bitch! I can't believe that he did this to her!" he growled through clenched teeth. Moments later, he slid them back into the packet. "Thanks again, Carlisle. I appreciate your helping me, and for taking care of Bella when she needed it. I better take these photos down to the station, so that I can file a report."

I lifted my hands. "Okay, but hold on. Did you eat before you came here?" I queried.

Charlie nodded. "Yes, I did. Don't worry about me, kiddo. Are you going home or are you staying here?"

"I'm going to stay here. I think that it would be best if I...spent most of my time here. Move in, actually."

His jaw dropped in alarm. "Are you sure that that's a good idea? I thought you were going to leave for Alaska," he remarked in a skeptical voice.

"No. We are postponing that for a while. But it is fine, Charlie," Carlisle interrupted. "Isabella's right; it will be easier for me to keep an eye on her. Plus, I can give Isabella the help that she needs; she will have to go through some therapy, but I will be giving it to her personally. It would make her uncomfortable to speak to someone she does not know, and she would not likely be very open or responsive. Rosalie can assist me as well. It won't be any trouble at all."

When Charlie gazed at Rosalie, she said, "I'll explain at a later time."

Charlie inclined his head. "All right, then," he began slowly. "If you think that it's best, you can live here and have Carlisle give you what you need. Oh, and before I forget, did you give Bella an STD test?"

"No, but I can. The results won't take to long to receive. I don't think that we need to worry, though; Edward does not have any STDs, and neither does the woman that he cheated on. I know her personally," Carlisle implied.

Raising an eyebrow, Charlie demanded, "You do? Well, who is she? Do I know her?"

Carlisle shook his head. "No...she was...one of my cousins. Her name is Tanya."

He was speechless with fury. "_He cheated on Bella with your own **cousin**_?!" he hollered.

Nodding morosely, I muttered, "I caught them making love in his bedroom."

"WHAT?!"

"Yeah. You heard me correctly."

Charlie ran his fingers through his hair, grumbling to himself. "I can't believe this shit," he hissed. "Well...make sure that she gets an STD and an STI test anyway, just in case. I want the results. I have to get going now, so I will see you later. Call me if anything, please. Oh, and Bella, you don't have to worry about dinner. I'll take care of it."

My brow furrowed. "Are you certain? I don't want you to burn the house down." I attempted to joke.

"I won't. I was thinking of ordering pizza. Come here," he ordered gently, opening his arms. I walked into them and he embraced me. "Be safe, Isabella, do you hear me? I don't want anything else to happen to you, especially if it's something else that you don't deserve. If you need to talk to me, know I am always available for you. I love you, baby."

I reached up to peck his cheek as tears stung my eyes. He rarely got so emotional; I could feel his love radiating off of him. "I love you too, Daddy. So much. I'll be careful. You be careful too, all right? I don't want anything to happen to you either."

"Don't...don't forget to tell Renée. I know that I tell you not to talk about certain stuff with her. And I know that you do too, but this is something that you have to tell her. It's very important; You can't not tell her about something like this happening to you. She's your mother, remember. If you don't tell her, you know that _I_ will."

I groaned. I had been dreading making that particular phone call, and I was considering not to do it. Nonetheless, Charlie was right. She was my mother, and I couldn't keep this from her.

With another sigh, I nodded. "Okay, I'll call her. But it's going to be so hard to talk to her about it."

"I know, honey. I know. But you have to do it. If you want, I can come back later and help you tell her, after my shift."

"If it's all right with Carlisle."

I turned to the aforementioned person, who kissed me on the temple. "Of course it is, my dear. Your father is always welcome here. We can help you too," he whispered.

"Thank you," I murmured back. In a louder voice, I announced, "Yes, it's okay. I guess I'll see you this evening, then?"

"Uh-huh," Charlie responded, hugging me once more. "I love you, Bells. And thanks again, Carlisle, everybody, for being here when she needs you. Look after her for me and keep her safe." He held his hand out to Carlisle.

He took it firmly. "We plan to, Charlie. Don't worry too much," he added.

"I'll try not to. Good-bye, Bella. Good-bye, everyone."

"Good-bye, Charlie," we chorused.

Carlisle went downstairs to let him out. I sat down wearily and massaged my temples. This was going to be a long day.

I felt a cold hand on mine and I jumped. I looked around so fast that I cricked my neck. "OW!" I yelped.

"Sorry!" Rosalie cried, as Carlisle ghosted into the room in alarm. "I'm so sorry! I did not mean to frighten you. I just wanted to know if you had a headache. I was going to give you some aspirin."

"Are you all right, sweetheart?" Carlisle demanded with a worried expression on his face, laying his hand on my neck to soothe the ache.

"Yes, I fine," I replied. "I don't have a headache. I just know that this is going to be a tiring day."

They nodded in understanding. "I know what you mean. But everything will be fine. You know that we will be here with you."

Alice leaned towards me and spoke for the first time in what felt like hours. "Is there anything that you would like to do today?" she questioned.

I thought about it before shaking my head. At the same time, I could not understand how she could ask me something so...so _normal_. Life could never be that way for me again after what Edward did to me.

She exhaled deeply. "Okay. Let us know if you change your mind."

"I will if I do. But I just want to go upstairs and lay down. I'm tired."

Carlisle stroked my hair. "Would you like for me to join you, or do you want to be alone?"

"You can come, if you like. I don't mind."

"All right, then. Let's go."

He led me back upstairs to his room. I slumped onto the bed and he curled up on the spot next to me. I rested my head on his shoulder as he wrapped an arm around me. He did this gently so that he wouldn't hurt me.

Neither of us talked. We mostly just laid there in each other's embrace.

I stared ahead listlessly, trying not to think of anything. However, my brain did not want to help. It kept reminding me of the phone call that I had to make.

Carlisle noticed that something was up. "What's bothering you, sweetheart?" he queried.

Burying my face in his chest, I responded, "I don't know how I'm going to tell Mom what happened, that's all. Her reaction will be worse than Charlie's...she's going to be overly worried and erratic! She'll try to cart me off to a shrink!"

"She does have a right to be worried. You are her daughter. She loves you, and I know that she hates it when something terrible happens to you. What Edward did to you would make any mother overly worried and erratic. Could you blame them for feeling that way?" he inquired.

"No, I don't. I would feel the same way if something like this happened to a child of mine," I admitted grudgingly.

"As would I. Even though I wasn't there when it happened, I still feel worried and angry about Royce King and his friends did to Rosalie. I hated that she had experienced all of that pain. If Alice experienced a similar crisis, I would feel the same way."

"I know what you mean. But it's not only that. The whole town will find out what happened too. Charlie will tell someone about it, and he or she break the news to somebody else. I don't like being under public speculation. Everyone will pity me, and I don't want that."

Carlisle rubbed my back. "Well, it is kind of obvious that they will find out. After all, your father wants to find Edward in any way that he can. Of course, we both know that that won't happen. However, people will want to know why Charlie is searching for him, and he will explain his reasons. But don't fret, my love. It will be all right in the end, Isabella. One day you will get past all of this. I will make sure of that. All right, _ma Belle_?"

I sighed, but inclined my head. "All right. But I really don't want to go to a shrink."

He tapped my nose and grinned. "Don't worry. As long as I'm here, you will never have to."

Not long after, it was time for lunch. I was not hungry and did not have an appetite. However, I knew that I couldn't skip a meal. Carlisle wouldn't let me starve myself, not that I planned to do so.

He kissed me on the temple before sitting up. "Is there anything in particular that you would like to eat?" he asked.

"Um...no, not really. But I know that you're going to make me eat something anyway," I pointed out.

Smirking, he remarked, "Yes, that is most certainly true. Well, I will see what I can whip up in the kitchen. Let's go."

I trailed after him and sat down behind the kitchen's island. Pretty soon, Carlisle had fixed me a ham and cheese sandwich. As I began to eat it, he placed a glass of orange juice in front of me.

"Thanks," I muttered.

"You are welcome," he returned.

I tried to proceed with the meal, but my throat wasn't cooperating. It felt extremely dry, and it was hard to swallow my food. Drinking my juice did not really help. By the time I was finished with half of my sandwich, I was ready to give up.

Carlisle looked up from his newspaper when he noticed how quiet it was. "Are you done?" he queried, looking at my partially eaten food.

"Yeah. I can't eat another bite. My throat seems to have closed up on me," I grumbled.

"Oh, I see. Well, I will make you a bowl of soup later. Perhaps that will help," he stated.

"Maybe."

I washed the dishes and tried to think of what to do next. I was not in the mood to watch anything, or play a game, so I headed back upstairs. I quickly found a book to read. After a few pages, though, I grew drowsy. I tried to stay awake, but I just couldn't. The novel slipped out my hand, and I was out like a light before I knew it...

_Suddenly, it was dark. I glanced around me, but I was unable to see anything. My eyes could not pierce through the impenetrable blackness. I could not hear a sound; everything was still and quiet.  
_

_However, I knew that I needed to leave wherever I was. Something felt horribly wrong and out of place. _

_Reaching out my hands so that I would not crash into anything and/or fall, I tentatively made my way forward. Thankfully, nothing was in my way, but I still could not see. The darkness did not lighten, even when I had walked for what seemed like a half an hour.  
_

_Before I knew what was going on, I collided into something. It was ice-cold and hard, very much like a statue.  
_

_I touched it to make sure that I wouldn't bump into it again when two golden eyes appeared slightly above me. Very familiar golden eyes.  
_

_"Bella," its dark, velvety voice crooned. To my horror, I realized that it was Edward's._

_My jaw dropped as I backed away from him. "G-Go away. Leave me alone," I whispered._

_The eyes moved closer with each step that I took. "Come here, Bella. You know that you want to; you crave me after all. You always have," he implied.  
_

_"NO, I don't! Just...just leave me alone!" I said louder._

_"Come **here**, Bella! Now!" he demanded._

_"NO!" I shouted._

_Edward's eyes narrowed, and then I was slapped hard. I fell to the ground.  
_

_I was grimacing from the sting in my cheek when the eyes lowered until they were inches from mine. My arms were thrown back, and my wrists were pinned to the ground by unseen hands. His cold breath whooshed into my face. I tried to struggle away from him, but he was holding me too tightly._

_"Do not lie or pretend that you do not desire me. It will get you no where. Do not act as if you have not wanted me to fuck you either. You have been craving for me to do so for months," Edward hissed._

_"Please, Edward, NO! Don't do this. Don't do this to me! Please," I begged._

_I was struck once more, and abruptly, it felt as if my vagina were being split in two._

_I cried out in agony. "EDWARD! **STOP**!" I bellowed._

_"NO! You wanted this, remember! I am giving you what you have always pleaded for me to give you. There is no turning back now!" he retorted._

_Then he continued to force himself on me, moaning in pleasure. I wept and screamed with every thrust; the pain was so unendurable. It was as if his dick were a knife or a fireplace stoker.  
_

_Edward laid a palm on my mouth to stifle my cries, but I twisted my face away. Then I threw my head back and yelled as much as possible.  
_

_"CARLISLE! HELP ME!" I hollered in vain._

_"Shut up! It's just you and me. Don't try calling for help when you know that you are craving this," Edward growled._

_I refused to listen to him. "CARLISLE!"_

"Isabella!" another, more gentle voice called to me.

_"CARLISLE! HELP ME! EDWARD IS HURTING ME!"_

"Baby, wake up! It's just a dream. Edward isn't here, remember? Come on, sweetheart, wake up," the voice murmured.

With an enormous effort, I opened my eyes. I was breathing hard, as if I was running. My face was soaked with tears.

I looked around before spotting Carlisle, who was perched on the bed next to me. He looked worried and concerned. He did not say anything, just wrapped his arms around me. I buried my face in his shoulder and wept.

He rubbed my back soothingly as he cradled me back and forth. "It's okay, Isabella. Everything is all right. You will never have to worry about Edward hurting you again," he whispered.

"I know, but the dream was so real. The pain was just as terrible as it was when he had...when he had forced himself on me. How could you say that he will never hurt me when he still does...mentally?" I sobbed.

Drawing back to peer at me, Carlisle sighed gloomily. "You have a valid point there, unfortunately. I wish that I could go back in time and make sure that this never happened to you. I hate seeing you go through all of this undeserved pain," he stated, his eyes glistening.

Fresh tears slid down my cheeks. "I know, Carlisle, I can see it in your eyes. I wish that this never happened too. I don't like to see you going through pain either. It kills me inside," I remarked earnestly.

Carlisle pulled me into him and embraced me again. "It's going to be alright, Isabella. One day, you will get over this for the most part. It won't hurt you as much as it does now. As I told you before, I will help you get through this, and so will everyone else who cares about you. Do you believe that?"

"I could believe anything that you tell me. You have never lied to me, and I know that you won't start now."

"Of course not, my dear. I would not ever lie to you, even if I wanted to do so."

Truly smiling for the first time that day, I leaned up to kiss him on the lips. After that, I hugged him tightly.

(Later)

Charlie had returned to the mansion just before dinnertime. I had not done very much since Carlisle woke me up. But remembering that Charlie was coming for another visit, he chose to give me that STI and STD test. He collected a urine sample and drew blood from me. Afterwards, I rested some more.

When Alice told us that Charlie was a few minutes away from the house, I quickly set out the meal that I had prepared. Then I went downstairs with Carlisle to meet him.

It was a couple of moments before the police cruiser rolled in view. Charlie parked it and walked over to the door.

"Hi Dad," I greeted softly.

"Hey, Bells. Are you okay?" he queried. He kissed me on the cheek and hugged me.

"Yeah," I replied. "I made dinner for us if you're hungry. Once we are finished, I'll call Mom."

Charlie fixed a stern gaze on me. "I said that you didn't have to worry about it. I was going to order pizza when I had gone home."

I waved my hand dismissively. "It's okay, Dad. I'm not fragile; isn't as if I will shatter into pieces if I cook something."

He exhaled wearily. "All right, if you say so. But I am hungry. Let's eat. We will probably be able to deal with Renée better on a full stomach."

We went upstairs to the kitchen after he said hello to Carlisle and the others. I laid a plate of fettucini alfredo before him while I had a bowl of tomato soup. It was easier to swallow than the ham sandwich. Neither Charlie or I talked, but it was only because we had a lot on our minds.

Once we had finished our meal, I put the dishes in the dishwasher. Next, we headed for the living room, where Carlisle was sitting with the others again.

I lowered myself onto the spot next to him. This time, Charlie sat beside me instead of Rosalie.

Carlisle patted my back. "Did you eat well?" he inquired in a low voice.

"Yes. Well, I suppose that I had better get this over with. There's no point in holding this off," I grumbled.

I took out my cell phone. Just as I was in the middle of dialing Renée's number, I froze. Then, without knowing that I was going to do it, I burst into tears.

Both Carlisle and Charlie embraced me. "Sweetheart, what is the matter?" Carlisle demanded worriedly.

"I'm...I'm scared," I cried into his neck. The other groaned in sympathy.

"Oh, Isabella." He held me tighter and kissed my forehead. "I understand how you feel. Give yourself a few minutes. When you calm down, and you may try again. All right?"

Nodding, I sobbed until I was able to get a hold of my emotions. Carlisle wiped my tears away with his thumb.

This time, I succeeded in dialing Renée's number. When the phone rang, I put in on speaker.

"Hello?" Renée said when she answered my call.

I gulped. "Hey, Mom, it's me," I responded, my voice trembling.

"Oh, hi honey! Is everything okay? Are you in Alaska now?" she questioned.

Clearing my throat to answer her, I declared ruefully, "No, I'm not in Alaska. And no, everything is not okay."

"Why not, sweetie? What's wrong?"

"Um...I, uh..."

I turned to Charlie, silently asking for his help. He seemed to understand because he nodded and leaned forward.

"Hi Renée, it's Charlie," he announced.

There was a pause. She probably wasn't expecting for him to be with me. "Hey, Charlie. What's wrong?" she repeated.

Charlie's jaw worked before he answered her question. "Something terrible had happened last night."

Renée gasped. "Oh, no! What? What happened, Charlie?" she demanded agitatedly.

When it was clear that he would not reply, I decided to take matters into my own hands. "Um...M-Mom..." I stammered.

"Bella? What is it, honey? You can tell me," she urged in a gentle voice.

I exhaled before mustering up the courage to pour out the whole story. I cried some more while I did, but I noticed that it was easier to tell it. Carlisle and Charlie put in their two cents by explaining my injuries. As predicted, Renée was frantic by the time I was finished. She wept so much that she could barely talk.

"Oh, my God! My baby has been raped! My poor baby. My poor baby," she sobbed. "I'm coming to Forks right now."

"No! You don't have to do that. I'm fine," I declared.

"Bella, you are _not_ fine! Edward had hurt you! I'm coming whether you like it or not. I'll talk to Phil, and then I will get on a plane as soon as I can," she announced stubbornly.

I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Mom, you really don't need to come. I'll be okay. Carlisle will take care of everything. He's going to give me therapy sessions at his house, and in time, I'll get better. I really will."

"I understand that, baby, but I'm still coming. I want to be there for you, and so will Phil when I tell him. Do you hear me, Isabella?"

Realizing that she wouldn't budge, I sighed. "Fine. When are you leaving Jacksonville?"

For a moment, it was quiet. Then she responded, "I don't know, but it will definitely be soon. I'll call you when I find out."

"All right. I'll see you soon, then. Love you."

"I love you too. And take care of yourself. Make sure that you are accompanied by someone if you go anywhere."

"Don't worry, Mom. You know that I will."

"Watch over her, Charlie. You too, Carlisle. Please."

"We will," they proclaimed in unison.

I said good-bye to her and hung up the phone. I felt worn out all of a sudden. "I guess that's that."

Everyone else nodded in agreement.

Charlie stayed a little while longer before going back to his place. I went upstairs, desiring sleep and a shower. I was beginning to feel Edward's hands all over me again.

Once I had finished washing up, I prepared myself for bed. Carlisle stepped into the room as I pulled the blanket over me.

"Hey," I mumbled.

"Hi sweetie," he returned quietly, making himself comfortable on the spot next to me.

I shifted over to lay my head on his chest. "Do you think that Renée's visit will be helpful?" I whispered. I doubted that it would. She would fret over me so much that it would just likely cause me to feel worse about what happened.

Carlisle wrapped an arm around me. "I have no idea, but perhaps it may."

"Yeah, maybe. Well, I'm going to sleep. 'Night."

"Good-night, Isabella. I will see you in the morning."

"Okay."

I relaxed as well as I could. However, I knew that the nightmares were coming, so I was unable to get settled.

Carlisle noticed this immediately. "Would you like me to put on some music? It may help you."

I bobbed my head. "Sure."

He turned on the radio before laying down next to me again. I cuddled him.

The music really had done me some good. It-and Carlisle's humming-made me feel drowsy. Before I could fall asleep, however, I heard the door open with a CRASH.

I sat bolt upright. "What the hell is going on?" I yelped.

"Oh, Bella, I'm sorry. But I need to talk to you guys about something important," Alice stated as she rushed over to us.

"What is it?" Carlisle queried, his brow furrowing.

She gazed at him with wide eyes. "Tanya...she's on her way here," she responded.


	13. Let Everything Out and Let Everything Go

**Bella's POV**

"Tanya?! What the fuck does that bitch want?" I sneered. I felt as if Tanya was partly responsible for what Edward had done. If he had not cheated on me and left with her, maybe he wouldn't have raped me. But then, I wouldn't be with the love of my existence.

Alice's eyes jaw dropped. "Bella! Watch your language!" she exclaimed.

Carlisle sat up. "Why is Tanya coming here?" he inquired in bewilderment.

"She's wondering where Edward is. She doesn't understand why he's taking too long to come back to her, and she's beginning to feel perplexed," Alice replied.

I let out a humorless chuckle. "Well, when she gets here, she's going to be in for a rude awakening."

"When will she arrive?" Carlisle asked.

Alice raised a finger and shut her eyes. "Tanya is running in the woods. She will be here by mid-morning. I'd better call the Denalis; they haven't seen her since June. I know that they are _really_ worried about her by now."

On that note, she left the room.

I raised an eyebrow quizzically as I turned to Carlisle. "This is unexpected news. I can't imagine what Tanya will do when she finds out that Edward is dead."

He sighed. "I just hope that she does not cause any trouble. We have had enough of it for the moment."

Nodding in agreement, I laid my head on his shoulder. "Damn right. I know that _I_ have."

"That is most certainly true."

It was a while before I was finally exhausted enough to go to sleep. I was preoccupied in thinking over how Tanya's visit would turn out. Plus, the Denalis were also coming. Alice had told us so a few minutes after she called them. They would arrive before dawn.

Nightmares plagued me again, and Carlisle had to wake me up two times that night. I was completely tuckered out by the time I got out of bed early the next morning. However, knowing that we had guests, I quickly showered before heading downstairs.

Carlisle was in the family room with the others. They were deep in a conversation with Eleazar, Carmen, Irina, and Kate, but looked up as I approached them.

"Good morning, sweetheart," Carlisle said with a tiny smile.

"Hi Carlisle," I returned. I nodded to the others before walking over to greet the Denalis. "And hello, Eleazar and Carmen. It's wonderful to see you again. You too, Irina, Kate."

Eleazar shook my hand. "It is lovely to see you as well, Bella."

Carmen gave me a soft hug and pecked both of my cheeks. "How are you this morning? Are you feeling okay?"

I could tell by her expression that she knew all about what happened. Worry, concern, and pity lit up her face. "I'm fine, but I could be better," I mumbled.

She inclined her head in understanding.

Irina embraced me next, and so did Kate.

"Hi Bella," Irina murmured.

"I'm so sorry about what Edward did. You have no idea how upset it made me!" Kate added with a fierce scowl.

Pursing my lips, I whispered, "I can imagine."

After exchange a few more not-so-pleasantries, I sat beside Carlisle.

Eleazar turned to Alice. "So, is Tanya nearby? You told me that she was coming."

Closing her eyes, she announced. "Yes, she is close by. She will be here in an hour and a half."

"Good. We need to have a few words with her," Kate remarked.

I decided to eat breakfast while waiting for Tanya. Part of the reason was because I was hungry. The second half of it was that I couldn't take the stares that the Denalis were giving me. I knew that they felt sorry for me, but I didn't want their pity.

I went to the kitchen and made some Cream of Wheat and tea. Then I ate my meal slowly, taking my time. Once I had finished, I washed the dishes. I peered at the clock. There was another forty-five minutes to until Tanya's arrival.

I had no desire to go back to the family room. But since we had company, I did not want to be rude.

Much to my surprise, however, the room was almost empty. Eleazar and Carmen were there with Carlisle, but I did not see anyone else.

"Hey. Where did everybody go?" I queried.

Carlisle turned to me. "Oh, they are all in the woods, going for a hunt. They should return within fifteen minutes, though."

"Oh okay. Well, I guess that I'll be upstairs then. Unless you need me for anything?"

He shook his head. "No, no. You may go ahead. I will let you know when Tanya is here."

I nodded. "See you soon."

Glad that I did not have to be under anymore speculation, I ran upstairs to our bedroom. It was more quieter there, and I took a chance to relax my nerves.

Minutes later, my cell phone rang, breaking the silence. I answered it immediately. "Hello?"

"Hey, Bells, it's me," Charlie responded.

"Oh, hi Dad. What's up?" I inquired.

"Ah, nothing really. Are you feeling all right, honey?"

I sighed in exasperation. I hated being asked that question. Was everyone expecting me to go insane? "I'm okay," I replied dully. "You?"

"That's good, and I'm fine. I was thinking of coming over later this evening to check on you. Do you think that Carlisle would mind?"

"No, but I'll ask him anyway." I covered the phone. "BABE!"

Within seconds, Carlisle had ghosted into the room. "Yes, my dear?" he asked.

"Charlie wanted to know if he could visit later in the evening."

He narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. "Tanya may be gone by then, so yes. He may come over."

"All right." I put the phone against my ear. "Carlisle said that you can, Dad."

"Okay. I'll see you then, Bella. Be safe."

I fought the urge to roll my eyes. "I will, Dad. Love you."

"Love you too. Bye."

"Bye." _Click_.

Nothing important happened over the next fifty minutes. Carlisle had gone back downstairs, but I chose to stay in the room. There was really anything to do, so I just laid on the bed and stared into space.

At 10:38, Rosalie opened the door. "Bella, come outside. Tanya is just a few minutes away," she declared.

I stood and quickly put on my jacket. Then I left the house, making sure that I didn't fall down the stairs in my hurry.

The others were in the backyard when I found them. They were all gazed into the forest. I rushed over to Carlisle's side and took his hand. He squeezed mine gently.

Before long, I saw Tanya running out of the woods. When she had gotten closer to us, she froze, looking stunned and perplexed.

I looked at everybody to find the reason why she did. The answer was apparent in their expressions. None of them were very happy to see her, and of course, I wasn't either. The Denalis seemed relieved but upset. Alice and Rosalie looked particularly enraged. Emmett and Jasper did not seem too far behind them. Carlisle's eyes had darkened, and his teeth were clenched.

Tanya scowled a little before strolling forward tentatively. She halted a couple of feet away at us. "Um...hello, everyone..." she began hesitantly.

"YOU SLUT!" Alice growled, dashing over to her. Everybody's eyes widened in astonishment; we had never seen her this angry before. "I AM GOING TO KILL YOU FOR WHAT YOU DID!"

We gasped as she drew back her fist and punched Tanya in the mouth. I had to suppress a giggle as I saw her fall into the weeds, along with a premolar tooth. By the look on Jasper's face, I could tell that he was trying to settle Alice down. When that didn't work, he bolted over to her and pinned her to the ground.

"Darlin', stay calm. Give her a chance to speak!" he ordered in a placating voice.

Alice struggled in his grasp. "_Fuck that! Let me go! Part of this is all of her fault_!" she bellowed.

Tanya, who was reattaching her tooth, frowned at her. "What are you talking about? What is my fault?" she demanded in bewilderment, caressing her chin.

No one responded, just gaped at Alice as Jasper managed to settle her down. Once he was certain that she would not attack Tanya again, he pulled her up.

Tanya eyed her warily before turning to the Denalis. "I'm sorry that I haven't called. I was busy," she stated.

"Where were you? We have been _worried sick_ for more than a _month_, Tanya!" Eleazar hissed.

"I was with Edward. He had bought a house outside of Winnipeg, and I decided to live with him. He left about a week ago, and I was starting to feel concerned when he hadn't returned by last night. Did he come back here? Have you seen him?" she questioned.

Carlisle sauntered up to her, taking me with him. "Yes, we have seen him. He is not here anymore, though."

Blinking in confusion, Tanya asked, "Oh. Do you know where he went then?"

In my peripheral vision, I saw Rosalie grin. "Yep. He went directly to hell, so if you want to see him, I will be more than delighted to help you get there." She took out a lighter and flicked it. "You won't be able to come back, though, so you might want to change your mind and stop searching for him now."

This time, I couldn't help it. I burst out laughing, and so did Alice, Jasper, and Emmett. Carlisle was trying to not to smile but failed. Irina and Kate chuckled, and Eleazar and Carmen shook their heads in mild amusement.

And poor Tanya just looked even more bewildered. "He went directly to hell? What do you _mean_?"

Stepping closer to her with anger returning to her face, Alice replied, "I'll tell you _exactly_ what she means. Edward is dead."

"What do you mean, 'dead'?"

"If you shut up, I will explain. As I said, Edward is dead. Burned into oblivion."

Fear crumpled Tanya's nonplussed expression. "Burned?! Oh, no! How did that happen?!"

Alice was about to answer her, but Carlisle held up his hand to interrupt her. "Edward had came back to make up with Isabella and get back together with her. He apologized to her for cheating on her with you, saying that it was _your_ fault. That _you_ had seduced him. Isabella noticed that he was lying to her, and when she confronted him about it, he lost his temper. In doing so, _he raped and beat her_. He was furious that she wouldn't take him back, and he did not believe Isabella when she told him that we were soul mates. Edward raped her, only hoping that she would do what he wanted. And of course, his plans were thwarted.

"When Isabella told me and my children what had happened, we tracked him down with the help of some friends. After that, we killed him like the cruel, selfish, soulless bastard that he was. _That_ is what Rosalie meant by Edward going directly to hell," he concluded with a smooth but menacing voice.

"That's right," Rosalie piped in. "I'm not saying that you didn't seduce Edward, but you _have_ been trying to jump his bones from the get-go. Even when he was with Bella, you _still_ flirted with him. You could have left Edward alone when he told you not to, but _no_! You just wouldn't listen! If you had, none of this would have happened. Edward wouldn't have cheated on Bella. Bella wouldn't have decided to find comfort in Carlisle either, which made Edward go insane with jealousy. Not that I care that she did. Carlisle is her mate, after all.

"So, I place all of the blame of you. _You_ caused all of this! None of it would have likely happened if you hadn't let Edward fuck you! And now look at what happened in the end! Edward raped and beat Bella, causing him sign his own death warrant! Can you imagine how much Edward had hurt Bella? How much she is still hurting? No, I suppose not, and it is all because you are nothing but a self-absorbed _bitch_! Bella wouldn't be going through all of this undeserved and unnecessary pain if it wasn't for you!"

Tanya's jaw dropped. "You're...y-you're lying! Edward would never have beaten or raped a woman! He's too much of a gentleman to do that!" she breathed.

Carlisle raised an eyebrow. "Lying? Why don't you take a look at Isabella's face? Then you will know if she's telling the truth or not," he remarked.

For the first time, she really gazed at me. She inhaled sharply when she inspected the bruises on my face. I took of my jacket so that she could see my arms and stomach.

"Oh, my God," she whispered in horror. "I can't believe that he actually did this to you, Bella. Sweetie, I am very sorry-" she added in a louder voice, opening her arms to embrace me.

I backed away from her, not wanting her to touch me. "It's fine. Save it," I said in a cutting tone.

Taking my hand once more, Carlisle pulled me over to him gently. "Tanya, I would appreciate it if you would please leave," he announced.

"But why? I have just gotten here!" Tanya protested.

"You are upsetting my mate, as well as me and my children. You have brought nothing but trouble and danger to us, and I think that it is preferable that you do not visit for a while. Maybe one day, I will allow you to come back. For the time being, if I catch you on my lands, I will have no choice but to remove you by force," he stated.

Tanya could only stare at him. "You have got to be kidding me!" she proclaimed.

With his face pulling back into an uncharacteristic sneer, Carlisle growled lowly, "I can assure you, my dear, that I am not. Do you want me to prove myself?"

With wide eyes, she shook her head quickly. "N-No. I am leaving now. Um...good-bye..." she murmured, backing away.

Nobody returned her farewell, just glared at her.

"Oh, and Tanya," I heard Eleazar call to her.

She turned to him.

"You may as well go back to Winnipeg. You are not welcome at our residence either, for the same reasons that Carlisle does not want you here. At least, for now."

At this, Tanya put her foot down. "What the hell do you mean, I am not 'welcome at our residence'?!" she argued, running over to yell in his face. Carmen tried to push her away from him, but she slapped her hand away. "It is _my_ fucking house! You cannot just kick me out of it! Besides that, I am the coven leader. So if _you_ do not want to be around me, then _you_ can find another house!"

Every one of the Denalis shrugged to show her that they didn't care. "Fine. We will," they said in unison.

"Fine," Tanya shot back.

"Tanya, did I not order you to leave a moment ago?" Carlisle interrupted in a suave voice that contained a hint of fury, deadliness, and impatience.

She did not answer him, just peered at him briefly. Then, with a huff, she ghosted into the woods.

When he was sure that the bitch had truly gone, he relaxed. Then he shifted his attention to me. "Are you okay, _ma Belle_?" he questioned as everyone walked into the mansion.

I nodded. "I'm better now that we won't be seeing her for a long time."

"Mmm. So am I."

For the rest of the morning until lunchtime, almost everyone watched a movie. I mostly listened to Carlisle, who was helping the Denalis in finding a new place. Alice and Jasper left to go hunting near the end of the film.

"You may have my old residence in Hoquiam. It is not far by vampire standards, just about a two minute run from here. I was unable to use it because it was on the werewolves' territory, but they have permitted us to come onto their lands. We had formed a new treaty a couple of days before," he offered.

The Denalis made a face. "I don't know..." Eleazar muttered slowly.

Understanding the look, Carlisle threw his hands up. "I know what you are thinking, but I wouldn't worry. They are really good people. I am certain that you can recall that they helped us destroy Victoria's army. Plus, they assisted us in looking for Edward after he had...forced himself on Isabella."

When they still looked unsure, he added, "If you like, I could speak to them. I am positive that they will allow you to stay in Hoquiam. I will also tell them to keep their distance from the house. They will understand."

Carmen turned to Eleazar, who glanced at Irina and Kate. It was as if they were silently voting on this. After a few minutes, there was a fleeting glint in their eyes.

They must have all agreed because Eleazar nodded hesitantly. "All right...we will go there. If the house needs remodeling, we can take care of it ourselves. You may call the wolves and ask for their permission. But you don't have to do it right now. We will stay here for a bit."

In the end, Carlisle did not have to do this at all. Jacob called me a little after one, just as I had finished washing the dishes.

I was leaving the kitchen when my phone rang. I fished it out of my pocket and answered it.

"Hello?" I said.

"Hey, Bella," Jacob greeted in a dismal voice. "How are you? You okay?"

I chuckled with mild irritation. "I am tired of being asked that. But I'm all right."

Jacob laughed sadly. "Yeah, I guess you would be tired of it. Everybody must have asked if you were okay at least a million times already."

"It feels like it," I sighed, heading to my bedroom.

For a moment, it was quiet. Then Jacob asked, "So...any news?"

"Oh, you bet. Guess who came here today?" I inquired.

"Who?"

"The bitch."

"Huh? Oh, _her_?! What did _she_ want?"

I snorted. "She was looking for Edward. Apparently, he had not returned to her for a week, so she was concerned. You should have saw her face when she heard about what Edward had done and how you all burned him up! If we weren't so angry with her, we would have all laughed at it."

Jacob cackled loudly. "I wish that I was there! You could have told me that she was coming."

"I don't think that Carlisle would have wanted that."

"No. Probably not."

While we were still talking, Carlisle entered the room. I suddenly remembered that he had to ask Jacob about his cousins moving into his estate in Hoquiam.

"Oh! Before I forget, Carlisle needed to speak to you about something important," I announced.

Carlisle frowned slightly. "Isabella, who are you talking to? Is that Jacob?" he questioned.

I inclined my head. "Jacob? Do you want to wait? Or do you talk to him now?"

"Sure, sure. Put him on."

Carlisle took the phone. "I am going to speak to him privately. I will give your phone back soon."

"All right."

Their conversation lasted about a half an hour or so. Once it was over, Carlisle handed back to me with a grin. "It took a while. I had to talk to Sam, but he approved of my idea in the end," he declared.

I smiled at him. "That's wonderful. I hope that they like their new place," I remarked. I put the phone to my ear. "Hello? Are you still there, Jacob?"

"Yes, I'm here," Jacob responded. "Well, I don't mean to cut this short, but I actually have to go patrolling. I will come by to see you tomorrow, though. Carlisle said that I could."

"Great! I'll be waiting for you. See you later."

"Bye, Bella."

I hung up the phone and put it away.

Carlisle and I didn't do much for the next part of the afternoon. Alice and Jasper had returned shortly after my phone call. The Denalis needed to buy more clothes, so Alice and Rosalie went shopping with them. They wanted me to accompany them, but I refused. I did not want to go outside looking the way that I did. They begged and begged, but I would not change my mind, even when Alice said that she would hide my bruises with make-up.

"You know that I hate shopping anyway. Go on without me. I'll be fine," I added when they looked as if they would argue.

Obviously, this meant that we had the house to ourselves. We would have normally taken advantage of this situation by getting more than a little intimate with each other. But now, I found myself unable to think of anything for us to do together. We couldn't have sex. It would likely trigger a flashback, even though I knew that Carlisle would never hurt me.

Bored already, I threw myself onto my pillow with a groan. I felt that Edward had not only robbed me of my dignity and peace of mind. He had also robbed me of the ability and the capacity to enjoy the pleasures of life. I groaned once more, but in despair instead of exasperation this time.

"I'm bored as shit. There's nothing to do," I complained to nobody in particular.

Laughing gently, Carlisle murmured, "There are plenty of things that we can do. Why don't we go for a walk?"

"No. The forest wouldn't be a good place for me right now," I stated.

With an understanding look, he nodded. "All right, then. Do you want to watch TV, or another movie?"

I shook my head. "We did that already. Plus, I'm not in the mood."

"You are not planning to spend the rest of your afternoon moping around, are you?"

"Of course not. I just don't have any idea of what to do."

"But you don't want to do _anything_. That's my point."

Rolling my eyes, I turned away from him. I did not want to end up having a fight, especially with Carlisle.

There was a small sigh. "Look, baby, I apologize. I didn't mean to say that the way that I did. I only want you to find a way to enjoy yourself, is all. Moping around isn't going to make you feel any better," he pointed out, sliding an arm around my waist.

I patted his hand. "I know, and it's okay."

Carlisle kissed the top of my head. "How about we sit on the porch swing as we always do? We could talk, unless you don't want to. You could probably use some fresh air."

"...That sounds good. At least it's something. Let's go."

Once we were in the outside, I took nice, deep breaths. The air smelled clean and woodsy as usual. I made myself comfortable on the swing, and Carlisle did likewise.

Neither of us spoke at first. We mostly reveled in the peacefulness surrounding us.

Some time later, he cleared his throat. "Now that we are alone, I figured that we could talk about what happened two nights ago," he remarked.

I frowned. "What is there to talk about? You know the whole story," I implied.

"Yes, that is true, but I want you to get more in depth with it. Perhaps you could tell me how you feel about what Edward did? If you don't want to, we can save this discussion for another time," Carlisle noted as an after thought.

Peering into the forest, I let out a heavy sigh. As much as I desired to say no, I knew that it would be better if I got everything off of my chest.

Even so, I did not answer him for several minutes, rallying my thoughts.

At last, I let out a deep breath. "Well, what can I tell you, Carlisle? You know that I felt a lot of pain, both physical and emotional, and I still do. Emotional more than physical now. And I feel so betrayed. I don't understand why Edward would beat me and rape me. He even called me terrible names. He said that he would never intentionally hurt me, but he did. He also said that he loved me, even when he was forcing himself on me. The Edward that I thought I knew wouldn't have done that at all, to me or anyone.

"I can understand that he was angry because I broke up with him and then slept with you almost directly afterwards. Who _wouldn't_ be upset about something like that? You are-well, you _were_-his father. But what I don't understand is why he didn't accept the fact that you are my mate. He promised me that if I chose someone else, that he would step aside because he only wanted me to be happy. He told me this often, especially at the time when I had feelings for both him and Jacob. But when it came to me wanting you, Edward suddenly had a problem. I can understand why, though. As I said, you were his father.

"I just wish that he would have let us be happy together instead of raping me. Instead of threatening to hurt you and to hurt me again if we continued to see each other. I feel as if everything I had with Edward was nothing but a lie, especially after he cheated on me. I don't feel as if he loved me either. How could he love me, and then hurt me the way he had? _Why_ did he do that?" I demanded, beginning to sob.

Carlisle wrapped his arms around me and stroked my hair gently. "Edward lied to me," I continued. "He stabbed me in the back. He raped me, and now, I feel so much shame and humiliation. I can barely look at myself in the mirror anymore because I hate how I look. Besides that, I can't believe that he saw and tried to take by force what was only meant for you to take. I wish that I had been strong enough to fight him off and gouge his eyes out. Sometimes I still believe that it is partly my fault why he did this to me..."

"NO, IT ISN'T! What Edward did is most certainly _not_ your fault," Carlisle interrupted in a firm voice, drawing back to look at me. "It was entirely his. He was the one who chose to hurt you. You did not ask for this to happen."

Gazing at him imploringly, I begged, "Please, just listen and try to understand. I know that it really isn't. But before, during, and after Edward raped me, he called me a bitch and a whore and a slut. He wouldn't think that way if I hadn't slept with you after ending my engagement with him. I'm not saying that I regret what we did-I never will. I just wished that we should have waited to be intimate. But Edward wouldn't have called those names if he didn't think that I were any of them. And I can see why he thought that I was, after what I did. It made him believe that he could just convince me to break up with you over some bullshit apology and a threat, and that he could just take me away from you as if I rightfully _belonged_ to _him_, as if I were just some tramp.

"And to be honest Carlisle, I really don't understand how you can even look at me. I don't understand how you didn't think that I am a whore when I jumped into bed with you so quickly, as if I were an easy girl. You can barely look at me now. I feel like I am unattractive and dirty to you. It hurts me, and it makes me feel so ashamed that you will never see me the same way again," I wept.

**Carlisle's POV**

I stared at Isabella with a pained expression on my face. My eyes brimmed with tears of sorrow, and a couple slipped down my cheeks.

Listening to her made me realize and understand the damage that Edward had caused to her self-esteem. It was no wonder that she believed that she were partially responsible for his actions. Of course, her feelings of betrayal, shame, and humiliation were to be expected. But that did not mean that it was easy for me to take it without experiencing severe emotional pain.

Worse of all, she seemed to believe that what Edward did to her would cause me to view her differently. Was it not obvious that I never had? That I never would, especially when his actions were _not_ her fault? Did she not see that I was barely able look at her because looking at her bruises hurt me? That looking at them broke my heart into pieces? That I was not ashamed of her, but of myself for not being there for her or saving her? That she would not have those bruises, or be dealing with any of her confusing and painful emotions if I had?

More tears streamed down my face. However, I noticed that it was making Isabella cry harder. I pulled her to me and held her close. I rocked her back and forth as we shook violently with sobs.

For a while, we stayed in each other's arms, crying our hearts out. Gradually, we began to calm down. When Isabella had finally quieted down, I tilted her chin up so that I could peer into her eyes.

"Isabella...believe me when I say that I can understand why you feel like this. Truly, I can. But, half of what you feel is wrong and undeserved.

"I know that you felt betrayed and upset with Edward had cheated on you. I know that you had loved him very much when you were dating him. However, I can also see that you had never quite forgiven him for his actions. This is not unusual. I would be very astounded if you did not feel hurt by what he did to you. Furthermore, I know that it broke your heart to realize that Edward only wanted you to be happy with him, when you couldn't because you are the one for me. It makes me sad as well.

"Nevertheless, I am certain that although Edward had hurt you, he still loved you when you two were together. I could see it in his eyes. To learn that you were not his true other half, but that you are mine, must have been very difficult idea for him to accept. It is obvious that he had not either. I cannot say that I blame him; he had been terribly lonely for years. He wanted someone to love, and someone to love him as much as we love each other. To be forced to give you up had to be the most painful thing in his life or existence. It was no wonder that he was enraged.

"Of course, that was _not an excuse_ for Edward to beat you, and to force himself on you. _Nothing_ gave him the right to hurt you the way that he did. And he should have known that.

"Edward was also wrong for calling you such degrading names. That was bad enough, but the fact that you believe him is worse. I know that you know deep down inside that he was lying, and that you are not a bitch or a slut. I, for one, don't think that you are. And I want you to know right now that I never believed that you were.

"Yes, I know that you wanted me to comfort you, but who was it who agreed to offer it to you? _Me_, of course. Remember what I had to told the night that we first slept with each other. I had wanted you, and desired you, from the moment I had laid eyes on you. I had even admitted to you weeks later that I had use to fantasize about you.

"So, when you had readily accepted my offer, I did not think that you were a whore at all. I never did and never could think that you are one. If anything, you are one of the most kindest, considerate, intelligent, thoughtful, loyal, and loving, most _beautiful_ woman in the world. Yes, beautiful," I added when she quirked an eyebrow skeptically, "even with your bruises. _You_ had not asked for them to be given to you. You have no idea how glad and how thankful to God that I am that you are my soul mate. I feel as if I am the luckiest person in the world.

"I know that it will take a while for you to believe me, but I will remind you about how much you mean to me every day until you do. That is what I am here for. I know that you probably think that you look very undesirable right now. However, you will _always_ be my beautiful Isabella. Do not believe that the bruises make you "ugly" any longer because they do not.

"I must admit, though, that your bruises make it hard for me to look at you...not shame or disgust. I could never feel shame or disgust where you are concerned, so do not fret about it. However, the reason that your bruises do not make it easy for me to look at you is not what you are probably thinking; that you are not attractive to me any longer. It is because they fill me with immense pain to see what Edward had done to you. And they make me feel ashamed of and upset with myself because I could have prevented what he done to you if I had made you go to Seattle with someone. I know that you have forgiven me for this, but I will never quite forgive myself for not doing something that should have been done. I know that I won't.

"But I don't want you to concern yourself about this. In time, perhaps I will be able to forgive myself. The only thing that I _want_ you to worry about is that _I love you_. Also, I need you to take into personal account that what Edward did to you is _not_ your fault. He also had no right to call you a whore, bitch, or slut and make you feel degraded. You are not any of that, and never will be. What he told you is a downright _lie_. As I had said you before, you are the most kindest, purest, considerate, intelligent, thoughtful, loyal, and loving woman in the world. The most _beautiful_ woman in the world. _I love you, Isabella Marie Swan. _I always have and always will. Nothing ever has or ever _will_ change that. _Nothing_," I concluded._  
_

Isabella choked out a sob. "Oh, Carlisle. I love you too...so much," she proclaimed as fresh tears ran thickly down her face. She leaned up to kiss me and I met her halfway.

Our kiss was extremely passionate and loaded with love. When we had broken apart, I hugged her as she continued to weep. She embraced me in return, and we clung to each other for a long time.

"That's it, Isabella, my love. Let it go, let all of it go. You don't need to hold everything in anymore. Everything _is_ going to be all right. You'll see," I murmured loud enough for her to hear me over her crying, rubbing her back.

She tightened her hold on me and did as I requested.

**(A/N: PLEASE REVIEW! What did you think everything? Most importantly, of Tanya's confrontation and Bella's and Carlisle's speeches?)**


	14. Surprising Matches & Wedding Invitations

**Bella's POV**

I basked in the love that Carlisle was sending off through his embrace as I wept.

When he had finished his speech, I could see that he had truly meant every word that he said. Relief, gratefulness, and love for him filled me to the brim. I was so thankful that Carlisle was my soul mate. If he was not, I did not know how I would have been able to cope through what Edward had did to me. And I would have doubted everything that Carlisle had told me. That he did not see me any differently because Edward had forced himself on me. That he never saw me as a whore in the first place. How much he loved me, and what he loved about me.

It took a while for me to settle down, but I gradually did. After I had wiped away my tears, Carlisle kissed me on the lips.

"Better now?" he queried.

"Yes," I croaked with a nod. "Are you?"

He smiled. "I am if you are."

Laughing a little, I cuddled into him, just wanting him to hold me. My stomach rumbled a few seconds later, and I blushed.

"Come on, Isabella. Let me fix you something to eat. Is there anything in particular that you would like?"

"Just soup, and maybe a couple slices of bread with butter. You know that I don't have much of an appetite no matter how hungry I am."

We went inside and headed upstairs to the kitchen. I sat at the island while Carlisle prepared the meal. He was finished in no time.

"Here you are," he announced, placing my dinner before me. "I hope that you enjoy it."

I grinned tiredly. "Thank you."

It did not take long for me to finish my food. Carlisle washed my dishes for me. I had wanted to do it, but he wanted me to take a break.

Alice, Jasper, Emmett, and Rosalie returned with the Denalis while we were watching a movie. They were all holding an abundance of shopping bags.

"Hi Bella. You look as if a weight had been taken off of your shoulders," Rosalie observed.

I had to smile. "It feels like it," I remarked truthfully.

Alice gave me a hug. "I'm happy that you are feeling better. Oh, and we bought some new clothes for you too. Don't worry," she added as I opened my mouth to protest. "The clothes I bought for you are in the style that you like. I made sure that they weren't revealing."

I sighed in relief. "Thanks."

Then she wrapped an arm around me. "Come on upstairs with Rose and I. Let's see if these clothes fit you all right."

She and Rose took me upstairs to her room. I tried to tell them that I was not in the mood to try on my new clothes at the moment, but they would not listen to me.

"Oh, Bella. Trying on a few outfits won't hurt. Here," she said, thrusting a pile of clothes into my arms.

"No! I'll do this later, I promise. I just don't feel like doing this right now," I stated.

"But Bella..." Alice began.

Rosalie threw up her hands. "Stop it, Alice. Let her have her way for once. It will be better if you do. Trust me."

Alice frowned at her, but then her eyes grew unfocused. A moment later, she inclined her head. "I understand what you mean." She took the clothes away. "I'm sorry, Bella."

I waved my hand. "It's okay. I know that you didn't mean anything by it. Just put them away for me. I'll try them on tomorrow or the day after."

"That's fine. Besides," she whispered as her eyes clouded over once more. "-it's just as well that you will. Charlie's is coming over again."

I sighed. "What for this time?" I inquired.

"The usual. He just wants to make sure that you are all right," she responded.

"Well, when will he get here? Will Eleazar, Carmen, Irina and Kate have to leave?"

She shook her head. "No, they won't. They will be able to control themselves while he's here. He will be here in less than ten minutes."

"I'm going downstairs to wait for him then."

Accordingly, I did so. The Denalis were in the family room, but Carlisle was nowhere to be seen.

Eleazar could tell that I was wondering where he was because he said, "Carlisle is in your bedroom, but he'll be down shortly."

I nodded and plopped down onto the empty couch. I did not talk to any of them, and it was obvious that they did not know what to say to me. I was glad when Carlisle finally appeared moments later.

"Back so soon?" he teased.

"Yeah. Alice didn't make me play Bella Barbie with her this time," I attempted to joke.

A deep laugh rumbled in his chest. "I know that you are happy about that."

Emmett and Jasper arrived just as he said this.

"Hey, Belly-boo," Emmett muttered, hugging me softly.

"Hi Emmett," I returned.

Jasper kissed my temple. "How are you, darlin'?" he questioned.

"I'm fine for now. Charlie will be here in a couple of minutes, so if you wanted to go back out..."

"No, that's okay. I'm use to his scent by now. You know that."

I chuckled. "Yeah."

Carlisle tilted his head. "I hear his cruiser approaching. Alice! Rosalie! Come down here, please."

Alice and Rosalie ghosted into the living room.

Alice was pouting. "Dad, we were just about to try on our new clothes," she whined.

"Well, it can wait. You know that I think that is polite for everyone to be in here when we are having company, especially when we have guests," Carlisle pointed out.

Groaning quietly, she plopped on the sofa next to Jasper.

It wasn't long before there was a knock on the door. Carlisle went to answer it. He returned to the family room with Charlie promptly, who embraced me.

"Hi Bella. How are you holding up?" he inquired.

"Okay, I suppose," I replied, thankful that he didn't ask if I was all right. I gave him a kiss. "How are you? How is the investigation going?"

He frowned sullenly. "It could be much better. We can't seem to find Edward anywhere in Washington. He can't have disappeared into thin air."

I hugged him tighter. "I'm sure that he's nearby. You'll find him soon," I lied, knowing damn well that he wouldn't.

Carlisle threw out his arm after he let me go. "Charlie, I have someone who I would like for you to meet." He gestured to the Denalis. "These are my cousins from Alaska. They have decided to move to Hoquiam to be closer to us."

Charlie's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Oh. Well, I hope that they like it here. It's much warmer. Would you mind introducing them to me, Carlisle?"

"Of course I wouldn't. This is Eleazar and Carmen," he announced, pointing to the brunette couple. "Eleazar, Carmen, this is Isabella's father."

"Hello," Charlie greeted, shaking both of their hands. "It's a pleasure to meet you both."

Eleazar beamed at him. "Same here, Charlie."

Carmen smiled. "You too."

Next, Carlisle nodded at Irina. "This is my other cousin Irina."

Charlie shook her hand as well. "Hi there, Irina. I am pleased to meet you as well."

"Pleasure's all mine, Charlie," Irina declared graciously.

Then Carlisle gestured to Kate. "And finally, this is my cousin Kate."

Charlie moved forward and froze. He stared at Kate in rapture, as if she were a particularly beautiful flower. I turned to Kate and saw that she was looking at him with the same profound fascination.

After a long moment, Charlie collected himself. "I apologize for staring. It was rude. I'm Charlie. It's wonderful to meet you, Kate," he remarked in an oddly gentle voice, offering her his hand.

Kate took it, and they jumped as if they had been jolted by electrons. "Hello, Charlie. It is great meeting you as well. I am Katrina. Others called me Kate, which I prefer, but you can call me either. It doesn't matter to me," she added shyly.

He grinned. "Katrina is a very pretty name. There is no need to be ashamed of it. I...I like it myself."

"Thank you," Kate whispered, peering at her feet. I would have said that she was blushing-if she were able to, that is.

Charlie let go of her hand, but he looked as if he hadn't wanted to. Kate did not look as if she had wanted him to either.

I scowled in confusion. Something strange was obviously going on here. Why were they acting like this? Why were they gazing at each other like they had seen the sun for the first time? Why did they jump when they had touched each other?

I pondered over this, but Carlisle interrupted my thoughts.

"Why don't we all sit down and get to know one another?" he suggested.

I sat down on the couch between him and Charlie. Jasper settled himself in the armchair while Alice perched on his lap. Emmett, Rosalie, Carmen, and Eleazar occupied the two loveseats. Irina and Kate made themselves comfortable on the other sofa.

"So, Charlie," Eleazar began. "Tell us about yourself. What is it that you do?"

Charlie cleared his throat. "I am the Chief of Police. I've had this job for a few years. Before that, I have been an officer since my mid-twenties. I'm forty-three now."

Kate nodded pensively. "You must have been very busy for all of this time."

"Yes, I have, although nothing too crazy happens here in Forks for the most part. Occasionally, I have to go to Portland or Seattle and help out there. Most of the drastic stuff happens there."

"Do you like your job?" Irina queried.

"Yes, I do, but I plan to retire after a while."

As we talked, I noticed that Charlie glance at Kate from time to time. She sneaked peeks at him just as often. This only cemented the fact the something was going on between them.

Some time later, Charlie stood. "Well, I have to get going. I need to head back to the station. I'll visit soon, when I have time."

"Okay, Daddy. Good-bye," I said, hugging him softly.

He kissed the top of my head. "See you soon, baby girl. Thank you for letting me come over, Carlisle."

"You are welcome, Charlie," Carlisle returned.

Charlie waved to the others. "Be good, kids. Eleazar, Carmen. Irina...K-Kate...it was nice meeting you."

They bobbed their heads. "You too," they proclaimed. Kate smiled at him.

When he had left, Carlisle did too, along with the Denalis. They were going to check out his old residence in Hoquiam.

"Look after Isabella," he ordered before running out of the mansion.

I turned to Alice and Jasper as Rosalie and Emmett ghosted away. Since the Charlie and the Denalis were gone, this gave me the perfect opportunity to ask them a few questions.

"Alice? Jasper? What just happened between Charlie and Kate? They were both acting weird after Carlisle introduced them to each other," I noted.

They looked at each other and exchanged amused grins.

"You noticed that, huh?" Jasper inquired.

"Duh. I wouldn't have pointed this out if I hadn't. Besides, I was looking right at them."

Alice laughed. "Yeah, you're right. Here...sit down and I will tell you."

All three of us perched on the couch, and Alice crossed her legs.

"Well...from what I saw for myself, both from watching them and from a vision I had..." she stated.

"And from the emotions I picked up from them..." Jasper added.

"...I believe that they are very likely soul mates," Alice concluded.

My jaw dropped, and I could only stare at her. "W-What?!" I finally gasped. "How can you tell?"

Jasper smiled. "They nearly jumped a foot in the air when they shook each other's hands. If I didn't feel the static, I wouldn't have understood why. Plus, they were both lookin' at each other like they had really, truly seen God."

Nodding in agreement, Alice continued. "And as I told you before, they never happens unless someone meets their mate."

I couldn't think of anything to say to this. My head with spinning from all of this. I couldn't believe that Charlie, that my father, had just unknowingly found his true other half. And to think that it would be Kate, Carlisle's own _cousin_! Well, they weren't really cousins, but still. And on top of everything, she was a vampire! It seemed as if Charlie and I were both made to be a part of the "mythological" world.

This didn't matter, though. Everything would be fine. Both Charlie and Kate will love the shit out of each other, just as Carlisle and I loved each other. They were both good people, and would take care of each other. And I was happy about it. I know that Charlie missed Mom and was lonely although he never mentioned it. Now, he would finally have Kate, and they would always be together.

For the first time in three days, my mind was not on what Edward had done to me.

XXX

(Next morning)

The atmosphere was tense when I woke up. I did not know why, until I remembered that Jacob was coming over today.

Laughing to myself, I climbed out of bed. It was really not a surprise. Although Carlisle did not mind it, I was sure that no one else liked the idea of a werewolf visiting us. I just hoped that Rosalie wouldn't be impolite to him. She would probably complain that he stank, and I knew that Jacob would probably retaliate with a snide comment or two.

I took a shower and looked myself over. The bruises on my face and arms had faded away a little, much to my relief. I was beginning to wonder when they start to go away.

After putting on some cover-up to mask the purplish-black marks on my left cheek, I got dressed and went down to the kitchen. Carlisle was there making breakfast for me.

"Good morning, beautiful. How are you feeling?" he asked with a brilliant smile.

I pecked him on the lips, my face tingling from his compliment. "Better. I'm not aching as much," I responded.

"That's wonderful," he commented, kissing me back.

My meal of bacon and eggs were ready in no time, and I sat down to eat. Carlisle poured some tea into a mug and placed it in front of me.

"Thanks, babe," I grinned.

"You are welcome, _ma Belle._"

It did not take long for me to finish my food. Once the dishes had been washed, Carlisle and I prepared for Jacob's arrival.

The aforementioned person called early in the afternoon. "Hey, Bella. I'll be on my way in a few. I just have to make myself presentable," he told me.

I snickered. "All right, Jake. See you in a minute," I implied before hanging up.

Rosalie groaned. "Oh, Carlisle, why did you invite that mutt? Does he really have to come over? Can I go somewhere, please? Or can Bella just go to La Push?"

Carlisle eyed her sternly. "I invited _Jacob_ because I wanted to. He wants to visit Bella, who is his best friend, and that is perfectly legal. So, yes, he is coming over. He does not have to, but he is. And no, you may _not_ leave until you say hello to him. You will learn how to be _respectful_ to Jacob. You _will_ treat him politely. You will _not_ call him a mutt, dog, pup, flea-bitten varmint, or anything else. And that goes for all of you," he added, turning to Alice, Jasper, and Emmett. "If I catch any of you being impolite or disrespectful, you will regret it. Do you understand me, children?"

"Yes, Dad," they replied unenthusiastically.

I was filled with admiration; it was not often that I saw Carlisle take charge of them like this.

Jacob pulled up on his motorcycle a half an hour later. Carlisle shot them a warning glance before heading downstairs to let him in. I heard the sound of the door opening and Carlisle greeting Jacob. Then they came to the living room.

"Hi Bella!" Jacob declared, embracing me. "It's good to see you."

"It's good to see you too," I remarked, hugging him in return. "How's Billy?"

"Dad's fine. He wanted me to tell you that he's sorry for what happened."

"Tell him that he doesn't have to be, it's not his fault."

Jacob let go of me and inclined his head to the others politely. They nodded back. They did not say anything, but it was probably just as well that they didn't.

Carlisle bobbed his head to them, indicating that they could leave. All of them sighed in relief and disappeared.

"I will just leave you two alone now. There is a few things that I would like to catch up on. You may have a seat and make yourself comfortable, Jacob," he stated courteously.

"Thank you, Carlisle."

He sat down with a grunt, and I did the same.

"So," he began. "How is everything, Bella? Are you feeling any better?"

I sighed. "Yeah, a little. The bruises aren't hurting too badly anymore, and they're going away."

He grinned morosely. "That's good to hear. I've been really worried about you."

I waved my hand. "You don't need to be. I'm fine."

Jacob laid his warm palm on my arm. "No, Bella. You are _not_ fine. I know that you are still hurting because of what Edward did. I can see it in your eyes right now. It's only been four days...you haven't gotten over it yet. You probably won't for some time."

Pursing my lips, I mumbled, "That is true, unfortunately. But I am trying to get past it...I really am. It's just hard to, that's all."

"I understand, Bella. This wasn't the first time that he hurt you, after all. I don't think that I will ever forget what it did to you when he left, or when he cheated on you. At least you have Carlisle, though, just like you did when he cheated on you with that bitch and left."

"Yeah. I don't know what I would do or what state I would be in without him. And you were there for me too, when Edward left the first time."

He wrapped his arm around me. "I am still here for you. You are my very best friend, besides Quil and Embry. I will always try to be here for you if you need me. But you also have Carlisle, so you won't need me as much."

I punched him lightly. "That may be true too, but I would still want you to come around sometimes."

Jacob chortled, then exhaled deeply. "When I think about what Edward did...I feel like it's my fault. I should have went with you to Seattle and made one of my friends get the stuff for the bonfire."

"Not you too!" I exclaimed in dismay. "Why does _everyone_ think that it was their fault? It's _not_, anymore than it is mine. I know that it isn't my fault now, even though I feel that it is occasionally. It was Edward's. He was the one who raped me and caused all of this trouble. If he had just left me alone, I wouldn't be going through this. But then, you wouldn't be here."

"I know. It seems like my being here is one of the only good things that had come out of that. But listen, Bella. I am always going to be here for you, no matter what. New treaty or no new treaty. If Charlie, Carlisle, or the others are not around, and you need some to talk to, or a shoulder to cry on, you can always call me. You know that, right?" he questioned solemnly.

I nodded. "Yes, Jake, I do. And you know that under such circumstances that I will call you."

He peered at me closely. "Do you promise?"

Crossing my heart, I vowed, "I promise, Jake...if I am able to."

With a smile, he gave me a hug. "That seems more than fair." Then he took my hands. "I am going to help you get through this Bella, just like everyone else will. And I know that you will because you had pulled through worse than this before. You have know idea how strong you are. So I know without a doubt that things will get better. Trust me. Okay?"

Tears came to my eyes, but I forced them down. "Okay."

For the rest of the day, neither of us did much. We went outside and took a stroll around the mansion and talked about other not-so-important things. At six o'clock, Jacob got ready to leave.

"I have to fix Embry's dirt bike again before doing some patrolls. I'll come by to visit soon, or you can come over to my place if you want," he added.

"Sure," I said. "Bye, Jake."

"Bye, Bella. See you, Carlisle."

Carlisle, who had just came outside, smiled at him. "Good-bye, Jacob. Be safe. You are welcome here anytime."

Jacob nodded to him and headed for his motorcycle. However, he turned a moment later and came back. "Oh...I almost forgot. Sam wanted me to give you this."

He took something out of his pocket and laid it in my hand. It was an invitation to Sam and Emily's wedding, which was to be on the 30th.

I gazed at Jacob in delighted surprise. "Thank you," I exclaimed.

"You're welcome. You, Carlisle, and the others are invited to come. And Emily says that you can be her second bridesmaid if you want. But if Carlisle and the others don't want to come, then it's okay. Sam will understand."

Carlisle beamed at him. "That was very thoughtful and generous of him to send this along. We will come, Jake. Thank Sam for me. Tell him that we appreciate it and that we will be happy to attend the wedding."

"And tell her that I will be pleased to be her bridesmaid. Thank her for me too," I added.

Jacob bobbed his head. "I will. Emily will be glad to hear this!"

He climbed onto his motorcycle, and Carlisle and I waved as he sped out of sight.

**(A/N: PLEASE REVIEW!)**


End file.
